STRQ Future
by GhostFireGirl
Summary: Team STRQ are starting their third year at Beacon Academy when they are transported to another dimension to watch their future. Can they change the future and protect the world from the catastrophe to come?
1. Red Trailer

**I've always wanted to write a reaction story, so here it is! I haven't seen a RWBY reaction by Team STRQ, or at least a good one. There have been a few that I have read but are incomplete. So here is my take on a team STRQ reacts to RWBY.**

* * *

Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long, Raven Branwen, and Qrow Branwen were starting their third year at Beacon academy. However when Summer turned the doorknob of their dorm room, everything went black for the team of four.

The four woke up in a room with a TV, a few love seats, a couch, and a table in it.

"Where the hell are we?" Qrow asked as he rubbed his head.

"No clue, but wherever we are it must be important" Summer said.

"What's that?" Taiyang asked as he pointed to the table. There was a note on it.

"_What you are about to watch is events of the future. This is your chance to change the outcome of your future and prevent the catastrophe that will be upon you. If you do not wish to continue after the volume's end you may do so. I will return you to when you disappeared. I hope all of you know that knowing the events of the future may change your outlook on what you do. Be wise in what you change, if at all. Good luck."_

"Well, okay then. Apparently we are here to watch our future. That's not weird at all." Qrow muttered. His sister hit him over the head. "Ow! What was that for?!"

"Being an idiot. If we know our future we can do something to change it if it is not in our favor. The person who brought us here wants us to change the future. That means that something bad will most likely happen to one or more of us." Raven said.

"We have to prevent a catastrophe from happening. We need to watch this!" Summer exclaimed to her team. They all agreed with her.

Raven sat down on one of the love seats. Turning around she asked, "Well, aren't we going to start this?"

Summer jumped and went to the table, taking the remote off of the glass table and sitting down on the couch. Taiyang joined her and Qrow took another love seat by his sister.

"Well… I guess we should start." Summer said, looking around to her teammates.

They all nod. Summer presses the button to turn on the TV. It has a menu on it with the words 'Volume 1' in color and the other volumes shaded out. She clicked on it and it showed another entry. 'Red Trailer.' Summer once again glanced at her team and then clicked on the first entry.

**Red Trailer**

**The trailer opened up with a hooded girl walking under a full words: "Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest..."**

"Well that's not ominous at all." Taiyang muttered. Summer nods.

**The text glows and scatters in red and white petals, and the full moon is shown amid falling snow and a floating red petal. Several more petals join the original, which passes over the words and dissolves them in red and black.**

"It's starting!" Summer squealed in excitement.

"Yes, we can see that, Summer." Raven commented dryly. Summer huffed and pouted at the other girl.

**A figure in a red hood and flowing cloak is seen under the moon and in a snowy landscape, the cape constantly producing dozens of wind-blown rose petals. An altar is seen near the edge of the cliff that the person is standing at, who turns and walks away to let the audience see the rose symbol on the marker and the words "Summer Rose - Thus Kindly I Scatter".**

"**Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest..."**

"Oh my…" Summer covered her mouth in horror. Taiyang, Qrow, and Raven all looked to their team leader in shock.

"I…. I die in the future?" Summer whispered in horror.

"How far into the future is this though?" Taiyang asked. The others didn't know. "If Summer is said to die then this must happen way later into our future. It has to be!" The blond said. There was no way he was going to let his team leader die. Not on his watch.

"**White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test." the red-hooded wanderer slowly walks through a snowy forest, where shadowy, beastly shapes quickly dart through, before coming to a clearing and looking around at the sight of around a dozen black-coated, red-eyed Beowolves circling their prey. Three decide to dash forward and attack through jumping, but the figure disappears in a swish of rose petals, and the creatures crash to the ground and look up.**

"Who is that girl? Whoever she is, she is extremely skilled." Raven said, tapping her chin.

"No kidding." Tai said.

"**Black the beast descends from shadow." "Yellow beauty burns gold."** **Outlined by the moon's light, her cape swirling around her body, is Ruby, who reaches behind her in slow-motion, pulls out a rifle, and fires a shot that blows a large part of a Beowolf's head out in a burst of blood-red smoke.**

"Holy crap! That girl looks like Summer!" Qrow yelled.

"Is that… You have a kid!" Tai exclaimed in shock. "So that means that you have to be alive in the future. This girl proves it!" Tai said to his leader.

"Are you pregnant?" raven asked, peering at the silver eyed girl. Summer blushed beet-red and furiously shook her head.

"No way! I would have told you guys if I was pregnant! Trust me, I'm not!" She yelled. She responded more calmly and said, "She does look like me." Summer said in awe. Her, having a baby girl. Who would have thought?

**More Beowolves start to attack as Ruby lands. She leaps over the first beast and shoots it in the back, then, still in the air, blasts another one's side and gets into a position where she can fire at the third dead center. She rolls back and stands, unfolding Crescent Rose into its larger - and deadlier - scythe form.**

"A scythe! And a sniper rifle!" Summer yelled out. Raven, Summer and Tai all looked to Qrow.

"Do you and Summer get together and have a kid? If so… congrats you two." Tai said, slapping Qrow on his back.

Qrow coughed in shock. "Uh… Was not expecting that." He muttered. Raven gave her brother a side glance and then narrowed her eyes at her team leader.

**One of the braver Beowolves goes forward, but Ruby merely spins, hooks its body in the curve of her blade, smiles at the camera as the monster growls, and fires the sniper section at speeds that sever the creature's body in a shower of petals. Both halves land on the ground, continuing to bleed roses, and the rest of the pack charges.**

"Why is there no blood? Why is it rose petals?" Qrow asked.

"Not a clue. We are as confused as you are, Qrow." Tai said to the other male.

"She's skilled, you two must have trained her well." Raven commented.

"Yeah, how old do you think she is?" Summer asked.

**Ruby, rotating the weapon, unloads her spent bullet and drives the blade into the ground, firing from a single spot at several approaching monsters until one swipes at her feet, narrowly missing as she jumps up with Crescent Rose and blasts back, digging it into the ground again when she sees more creatures emerging from the woods.**

"Watch out!" Summer yelled at her daughter. That was still a strange thought.

**A Beowolf almost gets her with its claws, but she twists out of the way, fires at the monster in front of her to make the weapon and wielder spin, and kicks at the one behind her. She twirls the scythe and cuts down Beowolves from both sides, dodging another attack to hook a beast in and blast out at an approaching creature to kill both.**

Tai and Qrow whistled. "She's good. I want to know who trained her, if it was Summer or you, Qrow." Tai said.

"I would like to know as well." Raven said, trying to pick apart the fighting style, trying to determine if it was her brother or her leader who trained this girl.

**Ruby leaps over two, goes in to dismember and cut down one, and catches another's neck in her blade with her on the beast's back before pulling the trigger and beheading it while flying upwards. Two Beowolves follow, but she shoots her way down and slices them up when she has to block from a wolf's swipe on the ground, which pushes her back and lets her see the large number of enemies left.**

"Bye, bye Beowolves." Taiyang waved to the TV and chuckled.

"She still has a lot of Grimm left to kill." Raven said to her partner. The blond groaned.

"I know that, I think I can see that on the screen." Tai said.

"Just checking." Raven smirked playfully.

"Cheeky aren't ya." Qrow smiled at his twin.

"Yep!" Raven curled her lips into a small grin.

**Nodding, Ruby drops her previous cartridge, inserts another with a cross symbol, loads it in, and blasts off at a higher speed than ever before, coming at the dumbfounded Beowolves like a rocket when she converts the scythe to a sickle-shape and spins her way through the mass, cutting up and down, left and right, leaving bullets, rose petals, and blackened body parts flying into the air. She disembowels them quicker and quicker until the last one falls, she blasts into a jump, and lands in a pose with her scythe hanging behind her as bullets rain from the sky.**

"Damn, that Semblance is insane." Qrow muttered.

"It's a speed Semblance from the looks of it." Summer said to her team.

"A speed Semblance and Gravity Dust." Raven corrected.

"Well, that's it. Do you guys want to continue? There are still three more trailers to get through." Summer said.

"Yeah, I want to know what happens to us. Especially you, Sum." Tai said.

"I have no problem continuing." Raven said.

"Same, wanna know if Team STRQ is still together in the future of if we split after…" Qrow said but trailed off after he realized where his words were going.

"Okay, it's decided, we'll continue until Volume 1 ends and if we want to leave we will." Summer said, as she went back to the menu and picked the next trailer.

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**Hope you all liked the first chapter! Please review and get ready to see some more reactions of Team STRQ.**


	2. White Trailer

**Thank you to Agent Numbuh 227, IChangedMyNane990, Guest 1, Guest 2, SkylanderZilla, and OceanBlueSeaEyes for the reviews!**

**…**

**Agent Numbuh 227: Thanks! I wanted to try my hand at writing one. This will be updated frequently, I will try and have most of the volumes already written, so if I take a hiatus then that's why, I want to write the full volumes and then post so that way I don't have to rush. Also about the Beowolves, sorry if that confused you. I forgot that the Grimm don't bleed, they disintegrate. Sorry for the confusion.**

**IChangedMyNane990: I'm glad you're interested!**

**Guest 1: The Grimm don't bleed. I forgot about that. Sorry for the confusion.**

**Guest 2: This will be updated frequently so you will have a lot to look forward to.**

**SkylanderZilla: Thank you! I will continue.**

**OceanBlueSeaEyes: I will continue. I don't know how far I will take this, but for now I plan on going until the current volume, so at this moment, Volume 6, as that just ended a month ago.**

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"What's next?" Taiyang asked.

"The **White Trailer**." Summer said.

"The White Trailer, wonder who that will be about?" Qrow asked.

"You'll find out literally in a few seconds, Qrow." Tai said. Qrow grinned.

She clicked on it and words appeared on the TV screen.

**White Trailer**

**"Everyone is entitled to their own sorrow, for the heart has no metrics or forms of measure. And all of it... irreplaceable."**

"Well… that's doesn't sound good." Summer said, still thinking back about the red-cloaked girl with silver eyes who resembled her so much. That's her daughter; her daughter will grow up to be a Huntress. Just like her and her team.

**"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome... Weiss Schnee." An announcer says.**

"Schnee?! Your daughter is going to be on a team with a damn Schnee? What the hell is this?!" Qrow yelled. Tai and Summer cringed at his loud voice.

Raven shook her head in frustration. "Qrow, shut up. I don't think that Summer's daughter will have any choice on who her partner is. Drop it, will you."

"Drop it? Hell no, Rae! There is no way I will let Sum's daughter be on a team with a fucking Schnee, I'd rather chew my own arm off." Qrow told his sister.

"I think Summer has that choice, Qrow. You aren't the father of that child. Or at least we don't know who the father is yet. So ultimately the decision is Summer's." Tai told the Branwen male.

"Also if you would have paid attention the announcer said 'Weiss Schnee,' it appears that the young Schnee girl that we heard about has a younger sister in the future. The girl we know is Winter Schnee." Raven told her brother.

"Whatever. A Schnee is still a Schnee." Qrow grumbled.

**A young girl in white with a barely visible scar over her left eye walks out on stage into the spotlight as a piano plays the opening of "Mirror Mirror" before a crowd of people, occasionally taking pictures from their stands around the white castle they appear to be in. She closes her eyes and begins to sing.**

"How'd she get that scar?" Tai muttered.

"Might find out if we keep watching." Raven said in a slightly in an annoyed tone, wanting to watch the trailer without anymore unnecessary interruptions.

**"Mirror, tell me something. Tell me who's the loneliest of all..." Weiss started to sing.**

"She has a really nice voice. Maybe she's not so bad." Summer said to the black haired Huntsman-in-training.

"Fat chance. I bet she's just like her stuck up, bratty sister." Qrow said.

"Okay! Enough! Let's continue shall we?" Tai wanted to finish the three trailers they still had to watch.

**While she sings, the view sinks down into her scar-free reflection on the stage, the world tilting until she opens her eyes and finds herself in another place, the light and shadows shifting until a warrior in giant armor with an equally massive broadsword appears before her. She backflips just as the Giant Armor brings its blade down on where she was, and the song continues as her flashback takes over.**

"Whoa! Is that a flashback? We might actually get to see how the Schnee girl got her scar." Tai said, leaning in to watch the fight that would take place.

"What type of Grimm is that?" Raven asked. She has never seen an Armored Grimm before.

"It's a Geist Grimm. It can possess that Giant Armor. It's called an Arma Gigas." Summer informs her team.

"How do you know that?" Qrow asked.

"I read a book about the different types of things a Geist Grimm could possess. A suit of armor isn't that far-fetched." Summer shrugged.

**Weiss sang again, this time off-screen. "Mirror, tell me something. Tell me who's the loneliest of all?"**

"What do you think the lyrics of the song are referring to?" Summer asked the rest of her team.

"The girl is alone. She has no one and her songs are the one outlet she has to express herself and try and get some attention." Taiyang explained.

His teammates looked at him like he had grown a second head. "And how would you know that, Mr. Philosophical?" Qrow asked.

"I… The lyrics clearly say that she is lonely, it wasn't that hard to figure out, Qrow." Tai told them.

**Weiss unsheathes her own rapier, Myrtenaster, and darts forward, getting a hit on her enemy before twirling into a landing. The Giant Armor swings again, but she dashes away and lands several spinning slashes on the creature. It retaliates when she uppercuts into the air, arcing its sword around and hitting Weiss' rapier, which she brings up just in time to merely knock her back. When she slows down, Weiss looks up to see the Giant Armor leaping into the air and hurling the sword down on her, then swinging it back up in an effort to get its fast-moving target. It finally hits her blade again, and she is knocked away until she rolls back on her feet.**

"She's good. Probably had private tutors and trainers to get her to that level." Raven said. Her team couldn't refute her, she was right after all.

"**Fear of, what's inside of me. Tell me can a heart be turned to stone?"**

"More lyrics, now referring to herself and her self-esteem. Maybe?" Summer said, she glanced at the blond young man next to her but he shrugged, not fully knowing what the lyrics could be a reference to?

**With white energy now gathered on her fingertips, Weiss motions to the ground beneath her, and a snowflake symbol appears that propels her forward at extreme speeds. Despite the Giant Armor's attempts to slash at her, Weiss disappears and reappears all around it, leaping through the air using her glyphs and landing a blow with each pass.**

"That's definitely a Semblance. But wait; is there such a thing as hereditary Semblances?" Raven asked, looking to her team leader.

"Hereditary Semblances are extremely rare, but they can and do happen. If it's a strong Semblance then yes, it could become hereditary." Summer told the other dark haired female.

**After a slash to the face, the Giant Armor aims at Weiss' feet, who leaps over it and gets an undefended fist to her head. Weiss is launched yet again, but this time, her attempt to get back up is weak and unsure. A worried Weiss closes her eyes, and in the real world, the spotlight suddenly cuts out.**

"Ouch. So now we know how she got that scar." Tai said.

"That's gotta hurt." Qrow said with a small smile on his face. He didn't like the Schnee family, which was obvious.

Summer slapped him on his shoulder. "Stop it, that girl is not at fault for what her father has done, or will do in the future. Remember that, Qrow. This is all in our future." Summer scolded the younger Branwen.

**The moon makes itself known when the clouds in front of it pass, showering Weiss in its light as she sings, eyes still closed. In her mind, she stands back up, eyeing the Giant Armor with blood trailing down the left side of her face, and holds out her sword, spinning the revolver in the hilt until a red energy appears over the blade. The Giant Armor runs up and drops its sword on her, but it meets her rapier and is deflected off.**

"How was she not crushed under the weight of the sword?" Taiyang asked.

"She had Fire Dust coating her rapier blade." Raven said in a monotone voice.

"Right…" Tai said, chuckling awkwardly. "Sorry."

**"Mirror, mirror, what's behind you? Save me from the things I see! I can keep it from the world. Why won't you let me hide from me?" Weiss sang.**

"I get the feeling that the girl is going to have a major turning point, and soon." Raven said.

"She's still going to be a bitch." Qrow muttered. Raven glared at her younger twin brother and he shut up. Qrow knew when to shut up when Raven was angry, and he really didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of her beatings. Those hurt and they could last for weeks.

**Weiss switches it up and spins, a cyan light now creating a wave of ice when she strikes it into the ground that freezes the Giant Armor in place. It swings again, but Weiss runs ahead and jumps on the sword. Myrtenaster is now glowing yellow, and she rolls on the broadsword and slashes at her foe, destroying the ice crystals in shards of purple but impaling its weapon into the ground. She rotates the hilt again and a snowflake circle spins under her when the Giant Armor tries to hammer its fist down on her, but she rolls out of the way and activates the glyph, launching the warrior up into the air and becoming trapped by Weiss' beams of blue energy.**

"That Semblance is both extremely powerful and versatile. That could be useful to exploit for your daughter, Summer." Raven told her team leader.

"My daughter is not going to exploit that girl's Semblance just because it's powerful, Raven!" Summer exclaimed to her female teammate.

"That's what I would do." Raven said.

"That's because you will use whatever you want and can to win and be the strongest." Qrow deadpanned.

"Well it worked, right? We are the strongest team of Beacon Academy." Raven boasted.

**"Mirror, mirror, tell me something. Who's the loneliest of all?"**

**With one final leap into the air and her real self singing the last lines of her song, Myrtenaster glows with the white markings on its blade and Weiss descends onto the Giant Armor. When her attack is done and she lands in a crouch, the black hollows of the enemy light up and crash to the ground in a shower of ice and snow behind her.**

"Impressive final move." Raven said, hand on her chin, analyzing the style of fighting.

"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" Qrow asked in a stunned voice.

"Oh shut up! I can complement people. Even if she's a Schnee I have to give credit where it's due." Raven said.

"You never complement people, you use insults veiled as complements." Qrow pointed out. Raven growled and put her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Okay! Don't kill me, I was joking!" Raven glared at him and huffed. "Kinda joking." He finished. Raven punched him and unsheathed her sword halfway.

**"I'm the loneliest of all." She finished the song.**

**Weiss gets up and closes her eyes, finishing "Mirror Mirror" to a gentle shower of snowflakes and a roar of applause from her audience. She opens her eyes and looks around as if in a daze, then peers up at the slightly-scattered moon above.**

"It was a nice song." Summer said.

"It was nice, but really sad." Tai said, glancing at the siblings. "You two good, or should we stop for now?" He asked.

"We can continue." Raven said, sheathing her sword fully.

**She dips her head and bows to the crowd as the curtains close around her. The screen fades to black.**

"Do you think we could listen to the full song? I want to figure out her motives from her song. And your daughter, Sum." Tai said to his teammates.

"Maybe, let me check the Volume 1 menu." Summer said, as she went back to the menu and scrolled through the episodes that they still needed to watch. The last episode listed was called 'Volume 1 Soundtrack.' It's the last thing listed, we can go and listen to the soundtrack after the volume ends." Summer answers her light haired teammate.

"Cool, I want to figure out the motives of the girls." Tai said.


	3. Black Trailer

**Thank you to Shiranai Atsune, IChangedMyNane990, Midnight49, Agent Numbuh 227, GingerKittenBoi, Justastudentwriter, and Guest 3 for the reviews!**

**…**

**Midnight49: I don't know. Perhaps, just wait and see!**

**Agent Numbuh 227: Qrow's Schnee hatred, yes over time that will change, but very slowly. Remember, they know Winter to be the heiress of the SDC, right now she is a very young child. Probably 4-6 years old, since her estimated age is 'early 20's. This is before Weiss was born, about a year or so before Weiss is born.**

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"Are you guys hungry? I'm starving." Qrow said, he wanted to eat.

"Yeah, I'm getting there. Is there any food in this place?" Tai asked, looking around.

"Hey, guys, was that door always there?" Summer asked hesitantly.

"Door?" Qrow muttered and looked to where his leader was pointing at.

The two males of the team got up from where they were sitting to go to the door and check the new room out. They opened the door to find a table and chairs loaded with food. "Guys, check this out!" Tai called out to his remaining teammates.

The two girls came over to see the room filled with food.

"Well I guess that solves the hunger problem." Raven said, casting a look at her brother.

"What? You can't seriously tell me you're not hungry, Rae." He turned to look at her.

"Stop both of you. Let's just eat and get back to watching the trailers." Summer said.

Raven and Qrow stopped arguing and began to eat. Qrow filled up his plate and Raven only took what was necessary. As they were eating they heard two a small female voice. The team of students looked at each other and went to look at who was there with them. They might not be the only ones needing to watch the future.

Team STRQ went back into the room with the TV and saw two people, or not people, Faunus. "Oh! Hello, who are you four?" The girl asked. She seemed to be slightly older than them.

The male Faunus with her wrapped a large protective arm around the woman. "I'm Summer Rose, the leader of Team STRQ. These are my teammates. Taiyang Xaio Long, Raven and Qrow Branwen. It's nice to meet you." Summer introduced her team and smiled at the couple.

"Hello, Summer. I'm Kali, this is my boyfriend Ghira." The Cat Faunus replied. Ghira nodded his head.

"Where are we? What are we here for?" Ghira asked the team of Humans.

Taiyang showed them the note that they had seen before they started the viewing. Kali paled and Ghira growled. "What is this some sort of sick prank?" Ghria asked, stepping forward and getting into Tai's space.

"N-No! This isn't a prank, we assure you! We were just as shocked and scared as you two!" Summer pleaded with the man.

"Ghira, the girl is scared, please." Kali said gently, putting a hand on his arm to stop him. He looked down at the other Faunus and sighed.

"Very well, we will watch the… future with you four." Ghira told the Beacon students. Summer nods happily.

"There is food in the other room if either of you are hungry." The leader told the couple. Kali and Ghira glanced at each other and then at Summer.

"Thank you Summer." Kali smiled warmly at the white-cloaked girl.

The two Faunus piled some food on a plate to share and came back to the viewing room. "Guys, look. There's a new note." Qrow said, showing them the new note.

"_To any new viewers, welcome. You are here to watch the future to try and prevent the tragedy that will happen in the future if some events are not stopped. New viewers, please watch the previous chapters so you will be caught up to where the other viewers are. Thank you, and good luck."_

"What have you watched?" Ghira asked.

"Just the first two trailers." Summer told them.

The couple sat down and watched the first two trailers. Kali and Ghira were shocked to discover that in the future Summer was dead. Kali put a comforting hand on Summer's shoulder. Summer gave the Cat Faunus a small smile and a nod. When Summer's look-a-like was revealed in the first trailer the couple turned to her. "Congratulations, Summer." Kali beamed at her, Summer blushed while her team laughed.

When they were watching the second trailer they tensed knowing that there was another Schnee born. "Well… its seems like the Schnee patriarch had been busy." Ghira muttered angrily.

"Ghira." Kali warned. "Those girls, either of them, are not responsible for the actions of their father! Children are not responsible for what their parents have done. Ever." Kali said sternly to everyone in the room.

"Let's start the next trailer." Taiyang suggested.

**Blac****k Trailer**

**"Your hopes have become my burden. I will find my own liberation."**

"That doesn't sound good." Qrow muttered. Both Kali and Ghira heard the Huntsman-in-training. Both Faunus tense and glance at each other thinking the same thing, _'White Fang?'_

**Blake is seen sitting on a rock watching the red leaves fall down in the forest she was in.**

"That girl looks like you, Kali." Qrow stated the obvious.

"Is that… is that my daughter? I have a child in the future?" Kali was surprised but happy to know that she will have a child, she stole a glance at Ghira, hoping that he is this girl's father. She loves him, and if this girl is their future daughter all the better.

Ghira was similarly stunned looking at the girl. She looked so similar to Kali, she had to be hers, there was no doubt about it. He smiled warmly at his girlfriend and her daughter. "She's definitely yours, Kali." He said with a smile.

"Yes, she is. I think you might be her father, Ghira." Kali says. The bigger Faunus looks back at the girl on the screen and narrows his eyes, trying to see the similarities between them.

"Perhaps she is." He whispered, wrapping an arm around the Cat Faunus.

"That's Forever Fall!" Summer pointed at the screen. Her teammates chuckle at her words.

"Yes Summer, we can see that." Raven told her. Summer pouted.

**Adam Taurus walks up to her. "Blake, it's time."**

**She slowly turns toward him. "Okay," She tells him.**

**The camera drifts down to show a train rushing through the forest.**

"What are they doing?" Taiyang asked, looking at the two Faunus in the room.

"No idea, but I have a bad feeling about this." Ghira told the blond.

**Adam and Blake slide down the hill onto the top of the train. Upon boarding it, they enter a car full of AK-130 Androids.**

"That's an SDC train!" Tai shouted in surprise.

"Why would they be on an SDC train, though?" Summer asked.

"**Looks like we're gonna be doing this the hard way." Adam grinned. The Androids activate and circle the duo.**

"**Don't be so dramatic." Blake rolls her eyes at him. An Android activates the guns on its arms.**

"**Intruder, identify yourself." An android commanded.**

"Yeah, like that's going to get answered." Qrow scoffed.

**Adam responds by cutting the Android in two and he and Blake proceed to completely annihilate the Androids in the car. Eventually, they burst out of the freight car onto a flatcar and encounter a horde of Androids running towards them.**

"Music!" Tai exclaimed, wanting to write down the lyrics.

_"**From shadows, we'll decent upon the world, take back what you stole."**_

_"**From shadows, we'll reclaim our destiny, set our future free and we'll rise."**_

_"**And we'll rise."**_

"Holy crap! That's insane." Tai yelled.

"Why is that Faunus wearing a Grimm mask?" Raven questioned looking at the two Faunus in the room.

"Why do you assume we know?" Ghira asked the Branwen woman.

"So you don't know why that man wears a custom Grimm mask? That was all you had to say." Raven told the male Faunus. Ghira stood up as Raven grinned in triumph.

"Enough, Raven!" Summer told her teammate.

Raven slowly turned to her leader and asked in a flat voice, "Is that an order?" Summer flinched back and everyone in the room froze at the sudden tension.

Qrow closed his eyes trying to get his Semblance under control before it hurt someone. He and Raven still hadn't told anyone about the real reason that they were attending Beacon and about his Semblance.

But as usual, his Semblance won't listen to him and cracks the plate that Kali and Ghira had been eating from. The food spilled on the table as everyone's attention changed to the broken plate and spilled food. Raven is the only one who doesn't look at the mess, she looks at her brother. Qrow's eyes widen in fear as he quickly stands up and backs away from the older Branwen.

"Qrow, are you alright?" Summer asked hesitantly, seeing that something had shaken her partner.

"How unlucky." Raven commented, Qrow flinched, his red eyes hardening to look at his sister.

"What do you want from me Raven?" He asked with grit teeth, angry at himself and his sister. Himself because of his Semblance and his sister because she had to antagonize Ghira. Raven smirked and unsheathed her sword, Qrow tried to punch her but again, his Semblance makes it so his Aura was broken immediately and his hand broke from the blade Raven pulled out, it was her Fire one.

"Qrow!" Their two teammates screamed in shock.

"You think I wanted this?! I don't! I never did!" Qrow screamed at his twin.

"Then do something about it." Raven replied.

"I've tried!"

"No, you haven't. If you think it's bad now, wait until we're out. Wait until then, and then you'll see how much damage you cause." Qrow flinched back violently, stumbling backward.

The other four watching the twins didn't know what was going on. All they did know was that one of them was injured badly. The fearful look in Qrow's eyes was still there, and getting worse with every passing second. He bolted from the room.

Summer, Tai, Kali and Ghira all turned to stare at Raven. "Raven, what the hell just happened?" Summer asked in a low voice, she was mad.

"What needed to happen. Qrow will be back, he always comes back." Raven said in a resigned tone.

"What did you even do? Why did Qrow run?" Tai asked his partner.

"That's none of your business, Tai." Qrow voiced as he came back into the room.

"Qrow, will you please tell us what that was?" Summer asked, coming over to her partner. She tried to touch him but he flinched and backed away from her.

"Don't. Just… leave it be. Raven, don't antagonize Ghira or Kali. Let's just finish the trailers." Qrow said dejectedly. The black haired male sat down in the farthest seat he could, alone and curled up like he was a small child. The group had no choice but to listen to the young man as they retook their seats and resumed the trailer.

_**"Above the darkness and the shame."**_

_"**Above the torture and the pain."**_

_"**Above the ridicule and hate."**_

_"**Above the binding of our fate."**_

"**Let's do this." Adam said to his partner. They decimate the horde and enter into a second freight car. Adam opens a box and examines the contents inside.**

"**Perfect. Move up to the next car." Adam said, closing the trunk. "I'll set the charges."**

"**What about the crew members?" Blake asked in concern.**

**"What about them?" He asks, turning around to see a Spider Droid climbing down from the ceiling of the car. Adam moves to fight it.**

_"**Born with no life, into subjugation."**_

_"**Treated like a worthless animal, stripped of all rights, just a lesser being, crushed by cruel, ruthless Human rule."**_

"The lyrics to the song… is this really what Faunus have to go through?" Tai asked slowly, not wanting to offend the two Faunus.

Kali and Ghira both nod sadly. "Yes, this is what most Faunus have to go through. It's even worse in Atlas. There, they are all shipped to the Dust Mines without any regard. Menagerie is the only place where Faunus don't face such discrimination but it's still not ideal. There is still some even among the Faunus of Menagerie." Ghira told them.

"He doesn't even care that he could be killing innocents." Summer said angrily.

"**Adam." She calls out anxiously.**

**Adam and Blake try to fight it, but it doesn't go so well. Adam grabs Blake before she is about to be crushed by the droid's legs. "We need to get out of here." She says in a hurried voice. The fight moves out of the car onto another flatcar.**

_"**When it started, all we wanted was a chance to live our lives, now in darkness, taking everything we want and we will rise."**_

_"**We'll rise."**_

_"**We'll rise."**_

"**Buy me some time!" He yelled to his partner.**

"**Are you sure?" Not knowing if he could handle it.**

"**Do it!" He demanded.**

**Blake distracts the droid while Adam readies his next attack. As she jumps back to Adam some time later... "Move!" Adam yells out.**

**The droid fires a powerful beam. Adam catches the beam with Wilt. As his body starts to glow, the droid jumps toward him. Adam then slashes out with his sword, disintegrating the droid and even affecting the trees in the Red Forest causing their leaves to fly into the air.**

"Shit! That Semblance is powerful!" Tai yelled in surprise.

"Interesting." Raven said, thinking of something.

The others, beside Qrow, glance at Raven but leave her be.

**As Adam walks back towards Blake, he finds her on a separate train car standing near the connector between the cars. As he reaches out to her... "Goodbye." She tells him. She severs the connection and lets the released carts slow down as she lets the rest of the train continue en-route. As she leaves, the background becomes completely red with a black silhouette of Blake in the middle, with black leaves falling down.**

"Well that was action packed." Tai said. "I want to listen to the lyrics and the songs."

"Why?" Kali asked the blond.

"I want to figure out the motives of the girls." Tai answered.

"May I help?" Kali questioned, Tai had a huge grin on his face.

"Oh course! The more the merrier." He says.

"You… really?" Kali looked to each of the Humans in the room.

"Yes, Kali. Really. None of us think that Faunus should be treated like second class citizens. You are here with us, and it's not right what the governments do to your people." Taiyang said sincerely. Kali and Ghira were happy to find Humans that didn't like the oppression that Faunus face, they were lucky to meet these kind people. Or at least Summer and Taiyang, they didn't really know about the Branwen siblings yet.

"Should we continue to the last trailer?" Kali questioned the others. They all nod, wanting to see who the last person of this new team would be.


	4. Yellow Trailer

**Thank you to IChangedMyNane990, Agent Numbuh 227, Guest 4, Steelrain66, OceanBlueSeaEyes, and DragonPikelz for the reviews!**

**…**

**Agent Numbuh 227: Yep, Raven is going to cause problems, same with Qrow. They are both hiding a lot from their team. Tai and Summer don't know the real reason that Raven and Qrow were attending Beacon. They don't know about them trying to learn how to kill huntsmen for their tribe. Both Raven and Qrow are still a part of the tribe, Qrow hasn't left yet. They also don't know about Qrow's semblance yet, so that will be a surprise for them.**

**Guest 4: Okay, I will try and do that, thank you for the advice about that. Yeah, the songs are going to be a big part of this, and "Red Like Roses part 2" is going to be a major shock, especially for Summer.**

**Steelrain66: I am not creating my own OC's for this, for any of the parents or the still unknown family members (i.e.: Jaune's sisters, Pyrrha's family, Nora's or the Branwen Tribe). I might add Ren's parents later on; I'm still on the fence about them. Sorry, but I want it to be the people who we already know reacting to RWBY.**

**OceanBlueSeaEyes: Yang's trailer will be fun to show all of Team STRQ'a reaction, especially the twins and Tai.**

* * *

Kali played the last trailer.

**Yellow Trailer**

_**"Scathing eyes ask that we be symmetrical, one sided and easily processed. Yet every misshapen spark's unseen beauty is greater than its would be judgement."**_

"That's an interesting quote." Ghira said. Kali and the others nod.

"What does it mean, though?" Tai asked.

"Maybe we're about to see a girl who doesn't conform to societies rules? She could be a rebel." Summer said.

"Could be." Tai said.

**Yang is shown riding her motorcycle through the streets of Vale. She eventually stops in front of a club that is blasting music. **

"Holy shit! Rae, you and Tai?!" Qrow screams at his sister in shock.

All six of them are stunned by the girl that was paused in the screen. She looked like a reverse Raven but with Tai's color scheme.

"Well… shit, was not expecting that. Raven , are you… ya'know?" Tai asked slowly, wanting to know if the young woman in question was indeed pregnant with his – their daughter.

"I'm not pregnant!" Raven hissed, still not believing that the girl on the screen was her and Tai's daughter.

"Rae, that is your daughter, just with Tai color scheme. You can't deny that." Qrow said with a smirk. He knew he would catch hell with Raven for it but he didn't care. He wanted to poke fun at her for the time being.

Raven glared at her brother. "I. Am. Not. PREGNANT!" She screamed.

They continued the trailer.

**As she walks through the club, she sees Roman Torchwick ending a conversation with Junior. She makes her way to the bar where Junior stands.**

"_**Red like roses fills my dreams and takes me to the place you rest."**_

"That's from the first trailer! I wonder why?" Summer asked, turning to Tai, he shrugged but wrote down the lyrics of the other song in the journal he found under the table.

"**Strawberry Sunrise. No ice. Oh, and one of those little umbrellas." Yang said.**

"You are not drinking in my house, young lady!" Tai shouted at the girl on the screen.

"Tai… she can't hear you." Qrow remined his teammate. Tai flushed pink and muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" Qrow asked, smirking.

"Shut up." Tai grumbled. "If Ruby is yours and Summer's kid then you would be the same way." Tai said.

"We don't know who that mini-Summer's dad is, it could be me, but I highly doubt that." Qrow said.

"Why's that? Do you not want kids?" Kali asked, curious at his response.

Raven looked shocked by the question directed at her brother and looked at him with a slightly worried expression.

Qrow looked down at his hands and remembers the times where they were covered in innocent blood. He was a scavenger, that was true, even among the tribe. He got scraps and Raven got first pick. He was pulled out of the memories by a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw the wide red eyes of his older sister.

"Qrow, it's okay. Just breathe. Breathe. You're with your team; you're with Kali and Ghira. Calm down." Raven instructed.

He nods and does what she said. Qrow calms down and then looks at Kali. "I wouldn't want to hurt any child unnecessarily." He finally said.

Kali and Ghira were confused by that statement. "What do you mean, Qrow?" Summer asked, she and Tai were wondering what he meant as well.

"I…" He couldn't continue. His eyes flashed darkly with memories that he had suppressed from long ago coming to the surface. Leaving the room with a glance at his sister he went to the other room with all of the food in it.

The others look at each other as Raven stares at the door where Qrow went through just a few moments ago. "Damn it." She murmured angrily.

"Raven?" Tai asked his partner.

"It's nothing; he just needs a few minutes. He isn't used to all of this. It'll take time, for both of us, to adjust." Raven said.

"Adjust? To what?" Ghira asked.

"To people caring about us, especially Qrow. He isn't used to that. At all." She looked down to the floor, thinking about all of the times the tribe ostracized her brother. Even his name was a cruel way to keep him contained, to keep him obedient and loyal to the tribe and to Raven. She knew she would be their leader when the current one died. Qrow would be by her side, but not as an equal, never as an equal.

He would always be last; he would be able to leave the tribe only at the end of hunts, to pick up scraps like a scavenger bird. His name was fitting for it, as was his Semblance. But that was the problem, his Semblance. He couldn't control it, he never could.

The tribe thought it was a semi-sentient Semblance that had a will of its own. And it was looking like it every time it accidentally flared up. It always hurt the people close to Qrow, including her from time to time. That was why he was always alone, even at Beacon. He barely came out of the dorm room if it wasn't for classes or training.

Qrow came back as sat down on the empty loveseat, curled up trying to look as small as possible. The others were worried about him, Raven included. Kali picked up the remote hesitantly and started the trailer again.

"**Aren't you a little young to be in this club, Blondie?" Junior asks.**

"How old is she? Can she even be in that club in the first place?" Ghira asked.

"She looks to be about our age, maybe a little younger." Tai answered the Faunus.

**Yang giggles, "Aren't you a little old to have a name like Junior?"**

"**So you know who **_**I**_** am. You got a name, sweetheart?" Junior asked.**

"**Yes, Junior, I've got several. But instead of sweetheart, you can just call me sir." Yang says angrily.**

**She grabs his groin and squeezes it painfully causing Junior to cry out in pain comically.**

The three males in the room wince and shudder. "That is definitely your daughter Rae." Qrow whispered.

Raven smiled in silent praise for her… daughter. That was still odd to think about; she had a child with Taiyang.

"**People say you know everything." She said, narrowing her purple eyes.**

**She brings her scroll up to his face, showing him a picture.**

"Is that… why is she looking for Raven?" Summer asked.

The group turned to the female Branwen, wondering why her daughter was looking for her.

"You think I know? This is in the future." Raven reminded them.

"**Tell me where I can find her and I'll let you go." She said.**

**Junior strained to answer her, "I've never seen her before, I swear!"**

"**Excuse me?" She asked, eyes still narrowed.**

"**I swear, sir!" Junior pleaded.**

"Wow, she's ruthless. Guess we know where she gets it from." Tai said.

Raven slowly turned to the blond and gave him a flat look. He sobered up quickly and turned back to watching his daughter.

**Junior's henchmen begin to gather around.**

"**Hmm, looks like we have an audience. This must kind of embarrassing for you, huh? Awkward..." She said, smiling a bit.**

"**Listen, blondie, sir. If you want to make it out of this club alive, I suggest you let me go. Now!" He said through grit teeth.**

"Oh, please! Like you could do anything to mine and Raven's daughter." Tai said proudly.

**She lets go and Junior sighs in relief.**

"**You'll pay for that!" He yelled.**

**He puts on his sunglasses and walks away from her. Yang follows closely behind.**

"**Oh Junior, I was just playing with you! Don't be so sensitive! Come on, lets kiss and make up, okay?" She said with a small smile on her lips.**

"She's smart. She's lowering his defenses and then she'll strike." Raven smirked at the stupid man on the screen.

**Junior stops and turns around.**

"**Huh? Uh, okay." He said.**

"_**White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test."**_

"More lyrics from the other trailer." Tai muttered, writing it down.

**As he leans in, she punches him in the face sending him flying across the room. The henchmen run towards her.**

"I can't believe he actually fell for that." Qrow said, shaking his head, trying not to laugh.

"_**Black the beast descends from shadows"**_

"_**Yellow beauty burns… gold."**_

"The lyrics changed! Maybe this is the blonde's theme song." Summer exclaimed.

**Activating Ember Celica, she jumps into the air and punches down, sending them flying back. She takes out all the henchmen and even the DJ when the two malachite twins step into the room.**

"_**Mirror, tell me something. Tell me who's the loneliest of all."**_

"_**Mirror locked inside me. Tell me, can a heart be turned to stone?"**_

"Are those shotgun gauntlets?" Tai asked.

"Yep!" Summer chirped, excited to see another weapon, this one being her two teammates, daughter.

"**Melanie, who is this girl?" Miltia asks her sister.**

"**I dunno Miltia but we should teach her a lesson." Melanie replies.**

"_**Born with, no life, into subjugation."**_

**Yang loads another belt of ammunition into Ember Celica and takes out the twins after a struggle.**

"She's a good hand-to-hand combatant. I'll say that." Ghira said.

"_**Treated like a worthless animal."**_

"_**Stripped of all rights, just a lesser being. Crushed by cruel, ruthless human rule."**_

"_**When it started, all we wanted was a chance to live our lives, now in darkness, taking everything we want and we'll rise."**_

"_**From shadows, we'll descend upon the world, take back what you stole."**_

"Faunus discrimination again." Kali mutters sadly, Ghira wraps an arm around her. Summer takes her other hand and squeezes it in comfort. Kali looks at the white-cloaked young woman and smiles at her.

**The holograms in the club suddenly turn off and a spotlight shines on Junior as he brings out his Bazooka.**

"**You're gonna pay for this." Junior shouted.**

"Like that'll work." Tai said, crossing his arms and watching his daughter fight.

**He begins to attack Yang. **

"_**Come at me, and you'll see. I'm more than meets the eye."**_

"New music, her theme, most likely." Tai said, trying to write down all of the lyrics he can.

"_**You think that, you'll break me,"**_

"_**You're gonna find in time, you're standing too close to a flame that's burning."**_

"_**Hotter than the sun in the middle of July."**_

**Yang gets up and slams her fists together, making her hair and the ground around her burst into flames.**

"That must be her Semblance. A fire related one." Raven said, looking at the father of her child. She took a lot from Tai but what did she take away from her? Her ruthlessness, perhaps, but what else? Where was she and Summer in this? Was Summer already dead? Why was her daughter searching for her. The questions kept piling up in Raven's mind.

"_**Sending out your army, but you still can't win."**_

"_**Listen up, you silly boy, 'cause I'm gonna tell you why…"**_

"_**I burn!"**_

**As Yang threw another deadly punch to the club owner her eyes turned red.**

"Red eyes! Raven! She has both of our eye colors!" Tai told her excitedly.

"I can see that, Tai. I want to know why and how she has my eye color if she has your purple eyes." Raven said to the blond man.

Tai and the rest of Team STRQ wanted to know that too.

"_**Can't hold me now, you got nothing that can stop me."**_

**Junior pulls out some of Yang's hair as she threw her pervious punch. That makes her med enough to end the fight with another very powerful punch that sends Junior flying out of the club windows, shattering them and crashing onto the pavement.**

"Wow, that Semblance is scary powerful." Qrow whispered, not wanting to get on that girl's bad side. Especially if she is Raven's kid.

"_**I burn!"**_

"_**Swing all you want, like a fever I will take you down."**_

**Yang comes outside shortly after.**

"**Yang? Is that you?" Ruby asked.**

"It's the girl from the first trailer! The one with the scythe!" Kali said. Summer was smiling as she thought about the two girls and their obvious friendship.

"**Oh! Hey sis!" Yang turned to see her younger sister.**

"Sister?!" Qrow shouted, jumping up from his seat and stared at Tai.

"Uh…" Tai said slowly backing away from the very scary Branwen male.

"What the actual fuck, Tai?! You not only knocked up my sister, but our leader too?! Explain!" Qrow shouted in Tai's face.

"Yes, I'd like to know why my daughter and Summer's are related to each other through you." Raven gave Tai a look that could put him six feet under if she wanted, hell, she probably could kill him easily. Both Branwen's could.

"I don't know! I don't know why I have two daughters with two different women, okay?" He held up his hands in surrender.

"So… does that mean that all of us live together in the future?" Summer asked, trying to diffuse the argument that was happening between Tai and Qrow.

"Perhaps." Raven was the one to answer her leader. "Qrow, enough. The trailer is almost over." Raven demanded. Qrow sat down and grumbled under his breathe about beating the crap out of Tai when they get back to Beacon.

"**What are you doing here?" She asked.**

**Yang sighs before the screen cuts to black. "It's a long story." Yang responds.**

"I want to know why your daughter was looking for you." Ghira turned to Raven. "That was a picture of you on her scroll, I wonder if you go missing in the future."

"Maybe, but I don't think so." Raven said to the Faunus.

"Guys, there's another note!" Summer said suddenly.

"_You have finished watching the trailers. Would you like to continue?" _

The others all looked at each other and nod.

"_If all of you agree you may start watching the first volume. Reminding you all again, after the first volume ends all of you have the choice of leaving the viewing. If you do then all you have watched up until that point will be with you once you return. You may change or keep the same whatever events you wish. Good luck, and be wise with your future."_

"That's ominous." Qrow muttered.


	5. V1C1: Ruby Rose

**Thank you to Lord of Memory, Steelrain66, ObviousHUN, aceman88, GuestGuestGuest (Guest 5), ultima-owner, Agent Numbuh 227, IChangedMyNane990, OceanBlueSeaEyes, Guest 6, and Guest 7 for the reviews!**

**...**

**I fixed the conversation about the White Fang at the end. Ghira is still the High Leader of the White Fang. Sorry about that slip-up, i forgot. Thank you for telling me!**

**…**

**Steelrain66: They will get a surprise when they see their older selves, including Ghira and Kali. I am excited about that as well.**

**ObviousHUN: This will not be abandoned. I will never abandon my fics. I plan on finishing all of them. Also if I don't update regularly that just means that stuff is happening in my life.**

**aceman88: I am not bringing any OC's in this. I am not creating any OC's. I want this to be a reaction of the older generation for informative reasons. Jacques Schnee will not be in this. He will be shown in the chapters and talking about but he will not be reacting. I may bring in the teachers but I don't know yet.**

**GuestGuestGuest (Guest 5): This is not going to be bashing Ozpin, but I will be writing what they think of Ozpin, their real thoughts, so to speak. And remember, this is before any of the next generation is born and before Raven leaves Team STRQ and Ozpin's group. **

**(As for my opinion of Ozpin it has changed from the show. At first I was weirded out by him knowing Ruby and commenting about her eyes, and throughout the first few seasons that he was planning something was some type of anti-hero in a way. However with the information we got during Volume 6, I think he is genuinely a good person, but years (millennia) of living has blurred his sense of right and wrong. He is a morally gray person now, in my opinion, but that doesn't mean he is a bad person. What Ruby and the others did to him after Ruby forced Ozpin to relive probably his first of many regrets and failures was not okay in any means. **_**They**_** were in the wrong. Ozpin has a **_**right**_** to not have to tell them about his past whether it be his other lives or his past lovers. Ozpin has suffered throughout all of his life (lives) and now everyone is blaming him for the problems they face now. That's not right, they shouldn't of taken out their anger and hopelessness out on Ozpin and on Oscar, because he is also involved with Ozpin, being his current host. I hope I answered your question!**

**Agent Numbuh 227: I definitely agree with you. Raven does care about her family; I mean if she didn't she would have let Neo kill Yang. And let's not forget that she could have killed Yang when she went down into the maiden vault and that after her speech she teleported to Tai, her former lover. She still has the portal to Tai, she still loves him. She has a portal to Tai, Yang, Qrow, and Summer (when she was alive, but I still think she kept that connection to her, even if she is dead.) and possibly she might have a portal to Ruby, maybe.**

* * *

"Let's just start, I want to know what happens to these kids." Qrow said as he leaned back on his love seat and waited for the first episode to start.

**Ruby Rose**

**A faded image of Beacon Academy appears on the screen.**

"Beacon. Could Beacon be a big part of this?" Summer asked.

"Probably." Tai said, shrugging.

"We literally just started; stop talking through every single scene." Raven grumbled in irritation.

**A mysterious female voice starts speaking. "Legends. Stories scattered through time. Mankind has grown quite fond of recounting the exploits of heroes and villains, forgetting so easily that we are remnants, byproducts, of a forgotten past."**

"Anyone else feeling like that chick is really creepy?" Qrow asked the group, they all nod, including Raven.

"Why do I get the feeling that she's telling the truth when she says that? Like she knows the truth of our world?" Kali asked, shivering at the woman's implications.

The group remained silent and continued to watch.

**The gems in the image glow green and fade to show simple pictures of a man rising from the earth before being surrounded by creatures, barely held back by warriors.**

"**Man, born from dust, was strong, wise, and resourceful, but he was born into an unforgiving world. An inevitable darkness — creatures of destruction — the creatures of Grimm - set their sights on man and all of his creations. These forces clashed, and it seemed the darkness was intent on returning man's brief existence to the void." The woman said.**

"Now I'm officially creeped out by this woman. Whoever she is… I hope we never have to meet her." Tai shuddered at that, he did not want a run-in with this woman, whoever she is. He had a feeling that if he ever saw her, he would die.

"Got that right." Qrow whispered, even Raven was uncomfortable.

**Black sets in, then suddenly lessens as a light grows brighter and brighter until a gem rises from it and lowers itself into the hands of man.**

"**However, even the smallest spark of hope is enough to ignite change, and in time, man's passion, resourcefulness, and ingenuity led them to the tools that would help even the odds. This power was appropriately named 'Dust'." She said.**

"Again, getting the creepy feeling off this woman." Tai muttered. Kali and Ghira were hugging each other.

**The scene zooms out to show men shooting lightning, raising swords, and aiming rifles at the retreating beasts as a castle appears behind them.**

"**Nature's wrath in hand, man lit their way through the darkness, and in the shadow's absence came strength, civilization, and most importantly, life." The mystery woman spoke.**

**The castle zooms out to show a map of Remnant, which houses other buildings until they disappear in flashes of white and the map is lowered to show the scattered moon over a city at night.**

"Does that mean that the Kingdoms are going to disappear in the future?" Summer asked hesitantly.

"**But even the most brilliant lights eventually flicker and die. And when they are gone... darkness will return." The woman commented.**

Summer shivered and whimpered in fear at that comment from the woman. It seemed like the woman was directly talking to Summer in that moment.

**Roman Torchwick and four of his henchmen head down an alley from the shadows. They stop behind Roman, who reignites his cigar without touching it and grins before walking down the road, frightening nearby citizens as they make their way towards the shop From Dust Till Dawn.**

"**So you may prepare your guardians, build your monuments to a so-called "free world", but take heed... there will be no victory in strength." The woman sounded angry when she said that.**

"She sounds angry. Maybe someone tried to stop her in the future? Or maybe in the past." Raven mutters to herself, Qrow glanced at his sister for a moment.

**Roman and his henchmen enter the shop, the camera lowering to a young girl wearing a hooded red cloak in the corner of the shop, reading a weapons magazine.**

**Ozpin's voice responded to the woman's. "But perhaps victory is in the simpler things that you've long forgotten. Things that require a smaller, more honest soul."**

"What the hell?! Ozpin knows this woman?" Qrow said in surprise.

"Interesting." Raven narrowed her eyes. The others of Team STRQ were shocked to hear their Headmaster interact with this woman. Kali and Ghira had only heard of Beacon Academy's Headmaster, Ozpin, in passing, never meeting him before.

**The henchmen look around and at the Dust crystals in the display when Roman approaches the elderly shopkeeper.**

**Roman flicked his cigar, "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a Dust shop open this late?" He asked the shopkeeper.**

"He's a thief." Kali said.

**One of the henchman points his gun at the shopkeeper.**

**The shopkeeper raised his hands "P-please! Just take my Lien and leave!" He whimpered.**

**Roman shushed the old man. "Shhh, shhh, shhh, shhh, calm down, we're not here for your money." The orange haired thief turned to the henchmen. "Grab the Dust."**

"It doesn't look like this Roman Torchwick guy wants to kill anyone, just scare the ol' shopkeep." Qrow said.

**A henchman opens a case and removes one of several cylinders, which the group uses to take Dust from the tube containers on the walls.**

**The first henchman placed an open case of the display counter. "Crystals. Burn. Uncut." He commanded.**

"Why would they want Dust of all things?" Ghira asked, not knowing why the thief would go out his way.

"We will find out if we keep watching." Kali told her boyfriend.

**The shopkeeper proceeds to fill the case. As another henchman goes for another tube, he hears the muted 'This Will Be the Day' song from the girl's direction, and unsheathes his sword.**

"Uh oh. This won't be good." Summer bit her lip in fear for her daughter.

**A second henchman points his sword at her back. "Alright kid, put your hands where I can see 'em." He got no answer from the girl. "Hey, I said hands in the air! You got a death wish or something!?"**

"Get out of there!" Tai was getting nervous about his daughter as well. He didn't want to see her hurt.

**He goes over to her and turns her around, the hood dropping to reveal a surprised Ruby Rose wearing headphones. He motions for her to lower them.**

"**Yes?" Ruby asked the man.**

"**I said, put your hands in the air, now!" The henchman yells at her.**

"**Are you... robbing me?" Ruby asks, completely oblivious to the situation.**

"Does she not have any spatial awareness?" Raven asked Summer and Tai.

"I… don't know. It doesn't seem like it." Summer ansered.

"**Yes!" He shouted.**

"**Ooohhh..." The girl said, nodding her head.**

"What the hell is up with your kid, Sum?" Qrow asked his leader. Summer didn't know, she couldn't answer him.

**Roman is waiting for his men to finish the heist when a "Hey!" and "Hyah!" are heard, and the threatening henchman flies past him. Roman calmly ****motions for another to handle Ruby.**

"Well shit. She's strong." Qrow says with a small smile on his face.

**The first henchman raises his gun at her. "Freeze!**

"Nope!" Summer and Qrow say at the same time. Tai and Raven look at them in amusement. They both blushed and glanced at each other.

**Cut to outside the shop, when the henchman and Ruby crash through the window. The other men look outside as Ruby gets up and unfolds Crescent Rose into its scythe form. Roman scowls, but Ruby smiles back at them before twirling the weapon around, striking it into the ground and turning off her headphones.**

"The scythe is back! Yes, I've been waiting for this!" Qrow said excitedly.

"**Okayyy..." Roman says. "Get her!" He points at the girl.**

**The henchmen head out of the shop and run at Ruby, who spins around on top of her scythe and kicks the first approaching criminal in the face. She gets Crescent Rose out of the ground and fires it off to hit another one with the butt of her weapon, sending him flying. She fires again and brings the side down on one attacker and dodges the next one's gunfire with her rifle's speed, getting close enough to knock him into the air and follow him upwards so she can beat him away to Roman's feet.**

"She's good. Qrow, you had to have trained her." Tai told his teammate.

"Maybe we all do live together or at least in the same area." Summer commented, not opposed to the idea of having her team close to her and her family.

"**You were worth every cent. Truly, you were." He muttered. He turns his attention back on Ruby. "Well, Red, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening, and as much as I'd love to stick around..." he raises his cane to reveal a rifle with a cross grid. "...I'm afraid this is where we part ways."**

"No! Ruby!" Summer and Tai shouted in fear.

**Roman unleashes a red blast at Ruby, who fires at the ground and leaps over it. When she lands and looks up, Roman isn't there, and is climbing up a ladder on a nearby building.**

Summer and Tai both release the breath they are holding and sigh in relief. "Thank the Gods that she's okay." Summer said, wiping her eyes from the tears that were about to fall.

"**You okay if I go after him?" Ruby asks the shocked shopkeeper.**

**The shopkeeper gives a short nod, and Ruby sets off.**

"I wonder where she gets her recklessness from." Raven asked, pointedly looking at Summer with a flat expression. Summer grinned sheepishly, playing with her hair.

**Roman makes it to the roof, with Ruby high-flying again and landing right behind him.**

"**Hey!" Ruby shouts to get Roman's attention.**

**Roman stops at the edge and mutters, "Persistent."**

**Ruby readies to fight him, but a getaway Bullhead rises up and opens the hatch to allow Roman inside.**

"Who's in there?" Ghira asked.

"What the hell? This girl is a trouble magnet, I can already tell." Tai said.

"Maybe she is yours, Qrow." Raven says softly to her brother. "She might even have-" Raven was cut off by her younger twin.

"If you finish that sentence I swear I will kill you." He glares and hissed out angrily. Raven tensed for a moment but Qrow saw it, no one else did.

"If that girl does… does have… _that_…" Qrow stops, "No, she _can't _have it. I won't let her. If that really is my kid then… no, I'm sorry Summer. No." He said firmly. "I wouldn't want that fate on anyone, least of all my own kid." Qrow whispered. Raven again got in front of him and brought him out of his memories.

**Roman turns around and prepares to shoot. "End of the line, Red."**

"No, not again!" Summer says with tears pooling in her eyes.

**He throws it out at her feet and fires at her, resulting in a large explosion.**

The group waits in fearful anticipation for Ruby to be shown again.

"**Whoa-ho-ho-ho!" The orange haired villain stops laughing when he sees something on the roof. "Huh?" He uttered.**

**A woman in a purple cape is now in front of Ruby, casting a circle of protection over them with her wand. As Ruby looks on, Glynda Goodwitch waves her weapon and summons several streaks of purple at the craft. Roman is thrown around in the back until he goes to the cockpit, where a woman in red, her face unseen, is struggling with the controls.**

"That's our TA! Ms. Goodwitch. Wow, she becomes a professor at Beacon." Summer marveled.

"Who?" Ghira asks.

"She's a fourth year student, and our Teacher's Assistant." Tai told the male Faunus. He nods and they continue watching what would happen with the blonde Huntress and Ruby.

"**We got a Huntress!" Roman says urgently.**

**The woman gets up and heads toward the back as Roman takes the controls.**

"Who is that woman?" Qrow questions, he has a bad feeling about the red-clad woman. She had a bad vibe coming from her, even for him.

**Glynda glows purple for a moment and aims another blast above the craft, resulting in a dark storm-cloud right over the jet.**

Jeez! Ms. Goodwitch's Semblance is powerful!" Tai whistled.

"**The hell...?" Roman mutters, starting to get nervous.**

**With a flick of her wand, large jagged hail starts falling that pummels the jet and even breaks through the window, narrowly missing Roman's head.**

"She's not messing around." Kali said.

"No, she isn't. She is protecting Ruby from the two criminals. Of course she wouldn't go easy on them." Raven said to the Cat Faunus.

**The woman reaches the back and her arms and chest light up like fire, aiming a burst of energy at Glynda. The Huntress blocks it, but the flame splatters behind her and glows hot with the enemy's raised hand. Glynda back-flips out of the explosion, which destroys part of the roof, and magically gathers the shards to create a large arrow, which she throws at the craft. The fiery woman shatters the arrow with several blasts, but it reforms just in time to hit the side of the jet due to Roman's quick aerial lean. The wreckage separates and reshapes into more arrows that encircle the jet, but the woman summons several glowing rings around herself that expand and destroy the shards.**

"What the fuck just happened?!" Qrow shouted. His team and the two Faunus stare at Qrow. He saw the others staring. "What?" He asked, not knowing what he did.

"Are you okay?" Summer asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? I'm just kinda freaked out by the fact that the red woman did some type of magic!" He told his leader.

"Magic doesn't exist." Tai told his teammate. Raven and Qrow both gave him deadpan expressions.

"Just because you don't believe doesn't mean we don't." Raven said to her partner.

"Wait… are you saying your two _actually _believe that magic is real?" Tai looked between the Branwen Twins in shock.

"Yeah, I mean, Aura and Semblances could be considered magic to people who have never seen it." Qrow shrugged, Tai looked at the male and female twins with shock.

"Well shit. What else are you hiding from us?" Tai asked jokingly. Raven and Qrow both narrowed their eyes and glared at Tai. "Uh… guys. I was joking." He said, not wanting to get the shit kicked out of him by both twins.

**Ruby, finally acting, reverts her scythe into its rifle form to fire at the woman, who blocks each shot and creates several blazing circles around her two opponents. Glynda telekinetically pushes Ruby and rolls herself out of the explosion's radius; looking up to see the hatch close and the craft fly away.**

"That's impressive." Ghira said, Kali nodded in awe at the Huntress.

**After the fight Ruby turns to Glynda and squeals, "You're a Huntress! Can I have your autograph?!"**

"Your daughter is a Huntsmen fan-girl." Qrow looked at Summer as she blushed on behalf of her daughter.

* * *

**The scene cuts to Ruby's amazed face turn to one of shame as Glynda, with a tablet computer, paces around the table Ruby is seated at, right underneath a bright light in the otherwise dark room.**

"Ruby's arrested?! WHAT?" Tai and Summer shout together. They both glance at each other and blush.

"I hope she gets out of this alright." Summer mutters. Not wanting to bail her daughter out of jail. Or was this after her death? Summer wondered when she died in Ruby and Yang's lives.

"**I hope that you realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly, young lady. You put yourself and others in great danger." Glynda said to her.**

"**They started it!" Ruby muttered angrily.**

"**If it were up to me, you'd be sent home with a pat on the back... And a slap on the wrist." Glynda breaths out and says in a resigned tone, "But... there is someone here who would like to meet you."**

"Who wants to meet Ruby?" Summer wondered.

**She moves out of the way so a surprised Ruby can see a man in green come through the doorway, holding a mug and a plate of cookies.**

Ozpin? Why is Ozpin with Ruby?" Summer wondered out loud.

"We will literally find out in one more second as he talks." Qrow said with a flat voice.

"**Ruby Rose... You... have silver eyes." Ozpin says.**

"Yeah… that's not creepy at all." Qrow says with sarcasm.

Summer frowned in concern for her daughter, why does Ozpin want Ruby?

"**Uh, um..." Ruby was confused, not understanding the importance of her eyes.**

"**So! Where did you learn to do **_**this**_**?" Ozpin asked while gesturing to the tablet in front of him.**

"You must be her teacher, Qrow." Ghira said to the Branwen.

"Maybe." Qrow muttered. He didn't think that Summer or Tai would ever let him near Ruby or Yang after finding out his Semblance. Maybe they don't know what it was yet. But that was just wishful thinking. Qrow wasn't _that _lucky. Then he snorted at the irony of what he had just thought. There was no way Summer and Tai hadn't learned the truth of his Semblance yet.

"**S-Signal Academy." She stuttered.**

"Ruby goes to Signal! That means that we live on Patch or on the coast of Vale!" Summer exclaimed, now knowing where she and her family lives.

"**They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?" He asked.**

"**Well, one teacher in particular." She smiled with a small blush across her cheeks.**

Raven raised an eyebrow at the girl's blush in interest. Why would she be blushing? Who taught her how to wield a scythe? She quickly glanced at her brother. He was the only scythe user she knew of, there weren't many, if at all beside Qrow.

"**I see..." Ozpin said, rubbing a hand on his chin.**

**He puts the cookies on the table in front of Ruby. She tentatively picks one up, eats it in a single bite, and then, not seeing any rebuttal, shovels the rest into her mouth.**

"What is up with Ozpin and sweets?" Tai asked, shaking his head in amusement.

"**It's just that I've only seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before. A dusty, old crow..." Ozpin said with a knowing smile.**

"What?" Tai said in stunned awe. He and the others looked at Qrow.

"I'm not old!" Qrow shouted at the Ozpin on the screen.

"That is a direct reference to your name. You're Ruby's teacher!" Summer squealed in happiness.

"Uh… yeah…" He whispered, still too much in shock at the revelation of teaching Summer and Tai's daughter how to use a scythe. Raven and Qrow shared a glance that spoke for them. Whatever happened in the future, it had to do with Summer and their team, that much was obvious.

**Ruby's voice is muffled by the cookies she is stuffing in her mouth. "Oh! That's my uncle! Sorry. That's my Uncle Qrow! He's a teacher at Signal. I was complete **_**garbage**_** before he took me under his wing. And now, I'm all like— Hooowaaah! Witchaaaa!" She proceeds to make karate-style poses and noises.**

Qrow gawked at the screen in utter shock and slight horror. "Un… Uncle?" Qrow didn't know whether or not he was even awake at this point. All of what was happening on the screen was feeling more and more like an elaborate dream to him.

Raven also looks shocked as she thinks of Ruby and Yang's relationship and the relationship of their team.

"Does that make Raven Ruby's aunt?" Summer asked her teammate. Raven's head snapped sharply to Summer's voice. Summer yelped and scoot back on the couch as Raven slowly rose from her seat and was about to stalk toward the white-cloaked leader.

She was stopped by her brother's hand around her wrist. "Rae, calm down. We might find out why you go missing in the future and how Summer… and how Summer dies." Qrow says to his sister to get her to back down.

"Fine." Raven said, still glaring dangerously at Summer.

"**So I've noticed. And what is an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?" The Headmaster asks the girl.**

"**Well... I want to be a Huntress." She said hesitantly.**

"**You want to slay monsters?" He asked, having a small smile twitch on his lips.**

"**Yeah! I only have two more years of training left at Signal! And then I'm going to apply to Beacon! You see, my sister's starting there this year, and she's trying to become a Huntress, and I'm trying to become a Huntress 'cause I wanna help people. My parents always taught us to help others, so I thought, Hey, I might as well make a career out of it!" Ruby giggled before continuing her rant. "I mean the police are alright, but Huntsmen and Huntresses are just so much more romantic and exciting and cool and really, gosh, you know!" At the end she had a crazy smile on her face.**

"She… she's only 15." Summer gasped. Kali was wide-eyed in shock. How could a 15 year old be so good with such a weapon like a scythe? How was it possible?

**Glynda and Ozpin study her.**

"**Do you know who I am?" Ozpin asks Ruby after a moment.**

"**You're Professor Ozpin. You're the headmaster at Beacon." Ruby answered without hesitation.**

"**Hello." Ozpin smiled at the Summer look-a-like.**

"**Nice to meet you." She replied politely.**

"**You want to come to my school?" He asked.**

"**More than anything." She gushed.**

"**Well, okay." Ozpin answered her after a few moments of silence.**

"What?! Just like that?" Tai, Kali, and Ghira were all shocked at how easily Ruby was able to get into Beacon Academy. Qrow and Raven were interested in seeing if Ruby could make it with people who were two years older than her, and Summer was just concerned for the safely and wellbeing of her child.

**Ruby smiles, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.**

* * *

**The scene changes again, as Yang Xiao Long tackles her sister in a hug aboard the large airship to Beacon, crushing the air out of her.**

Yang!" Tai grinned at the sight of his daughter, he glanced at Raven and saw that she was happy to finally see their daughter as well, even if she put up a front that said that she didn't care.

"**Oh, I can't believe my baby sister is going to Beacon with me! This is the best day ever!" Yang exclaimed happiness as she bear-hugged Ruby.**

"Well she certainly got your strength." Qrow smirked at the blond male as he rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"Yeah, I guess." Tai said, glancing at Raven to see her reaction to their daughter gaining for from him than her.

"**Please stop." Ruby strained.**

**Yang released her sister, "But I'm so proud of you!" She said with pride in her voice.**

"**Really Sis, it was nothing." Ruby tried to say.**

"That wasn't nothing." Tai said.

"She shouldn't sell herself short, what she did was bravely, highly dangerous, but very brave. Not everyone could do that." Ghira commented.

"**What do you mean? It was incredible! Everyone at Beacon is going to think you're the bee's knees." Yang smiled brightly at her younger sister.**

"**I don't want to be the "bee's knees", okay? I don't want to be any kind of knees! I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees." Ruby muttered, she didn't think that this was a good thing.**

"**What's with you? Aren't you excited?" Yang asked, confused by Ruby's behavior.**

"**Of course I'm excited... I just... I got moved ahead **_**two years**_**. I don't want people to think I'm special or anything." She muttered, hoping that Yang didn't hear her.**

"She doesn't see this as a good thing. And I can see why." Kali said.

"Why is that?" Qrow asked.

"It's because people will think she got special treatment and she doesn't want to be recognized as the 'special case' she wants to show the other students that she got into Beacon on her own skills, not on some recommendation from the Headmaster." Ghira said.

"**But you **_**are**_** special." Yang said matter-of-factly.**

**The girls' attention is drawn to the 2-D animated newscast on Vale News Network playing nearby, talking about the robbery and showing Roman's mug shot.**

"**The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department. Back to you, Lisa." A male newscaster said.**

**The mugshot changes to Lisa Lavender, with a photo of animal-eared demonstrators holding signs saying "WE ARE NOT ANIMALS!" followed by an image of the logo of a growling red wolf's head with three scratch marks.**

"That's a White Fang rally." Ghira said in surprise. Kali squeezed his hand and gave him silent reassurance.

"Why is the White Fang symbol different?" Kali asked her boyfriend.

Ghira shook his head in shock, "I don't know. What happens in the future? Why did the White Fang change from nonviolent to violence?" He muttered to himself, rubbing his chin.

**"Thank you, Cyril. In other news, this Saturday's Faunus Civil Rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony. The once peaceful organization has now disrupted..." the female newscaster, Lisa, said.**

"That's just sick." Tai grimaced.

"We agree. We would never condone violence in the White Fang. It is a peaceful protest organization." Ghira said.

**The news feed is cut off as a hologram of Glynda replaces it.**

"Goodwitch, again?" Qrow asked.

"**Hello, and welcome to Beacon!" Glynda said in a sharp voice.**

"**Who's that?" Yang asked out loud.**

"Really?" Raven turned to face Tai. "She would have only gotten that obliviousness for you." She said.

"**My name is Glynda Goodwitch." Glynda introduced herself.**

"**Oh." She said.**

"**You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy! Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world." She said and then the projection disappeared.**

"That's not the same speech that we had." Summer hummed, Tai thought back to their orientation to try and remember what was said.

"**Oh, wow! Look, you can see Signal from up here! I guess home isn't too far after all!" Ruby exclaimed as several other students gaze out the windows to get a look at the view.**

"**Beacon's our home, now." The blonde girl said strongly.**

**The two hear a passenger groaning and hunched over nearby, running to the back of the ship.**

"**Well... I guess the view isn't for everyone." Yang says to her sister.**

"**It was a nice moment while it lasted." Ruby shrugged.**

**The ship is seen approaching Beacon across a large body of water.**

"**I wonder who we're gonna meet! I just hope they're better than Vomit Boy. Oh, Yang, gross! You have puke on your shoe!" Ruby said as a voice-****over.**

"**Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross!" Yang yelled in a voice-over as well.**

"**Get-Get away! Get away from me! Get away from me! Get away from me! Get away from me!" Ruby shrieked in the final voice-over of the chapter.**

**The scene fades to black.**

"Well that was the end of chapter one. What did you guys think?" Summer asked the others in the room.

"It was interesting to see how different people interacted with each other." Ghira said.

"I hope we get to know more about you Summer, and also about Raven. Why are you missing and what happened to you?" Kali said to the two females of Team STRQ.

"Same here." Tai whispered. Qrow glanced at his sister and his leader for a moment.

"Guys, it's not over. There is probably going to be music with every first chapter of the volumes." Qrow pointed at the screen. Music started playing, Tai and Kali started writing down all of the lyrics they could.

"_**They see you as small and helpless;"**_

_**"They see you as just a child,"**_

_**"Surprise when they find out that a warrior will soon run wild."**_

"This song is about Ruby. Does she have another theme or is this just a coincidence?" Kali asked Tai, Tai didn't know but continued to write down the lyrics as he heard them.

"_**Prepare for your greatest moments;"**_

_**"Prepare for your finest hour."**_

_**"The dream that you've always dreamed is suddenly about to flower."**_

"That sounds good." Summer said, happy to see her child will have a normal school life.

"_**We are lightning,"**_

_**"Straying from the thunder,"**_

_**"Miracles of ancient wonder."**_

"That line seems to directly tie into the opening of the chapter, with the creepy woman." Qrow said, Summer and Raven were inclined to agree with him. Everyone was still slightly shaken about that mysterious female voice that they heard in the beginning.

"_**This will be the day we've waited for."**_

_**"This will be the day we open up the door.**_

_**"I don't wanna hear your absolution;"**_

_**"Hope you're ready for a revolution."**_

_**"Welcome to a world of new solutions."**_

_**"Welcome to a world of bloody evolution."**_

_**"In time, your heart will open minds,"**_

_**"A story will be told,"**_

_**"And victory is in a simple soul."**_

"That last line was exactly what Ozpin said about Ruby!" Summer said.

"But what does the rest mean? It sounds like something bad is going to be happening soon. Maybe this is what we are supposed to prevent?" Tai asked.

"But 'blood evolution'? That doesn't sound good." Qrow said.

"We won't know until later." Raven said.

"_**Your world needs a great defender."**_

_**"Your world's in the way of harm."**_

_**"You want a romantic life; a fairytale that's full of charm."**_

"Well that's definitely true. Many young Huntsmen-in-training think that this will be just like the stores that they grew up hearing about. But it's not; it's a harsh reality that will more often than not get you killed with that idealistic nonsense." Raven said.

"You're right, but shit, Rae. Way to kill the mood." Qrow grumbled to his elder sister.

"I'm being realistic." Raven countered.

"_**Beware that the light is fading;"  
**_

_**"Beware if the dark returns."  
**_

_**"This world's unforgiving, even brilliant lights will cease to burn."**_

"Now that doesn't sound good in the slightest. Does that mean that one of the girls in the trailers is going to die at some point?" Tai asked out loud.

"I hope it's the Schnee that dies." Qrow said angrily.

"Stop, Qrow. You shouldn't wish a child dead. That's wrong." Summer said to her teammate with a fierce glare on her face.

"_**Legends scatter."**_

_**"Day and night will sever."**_

_**"Hope and peace are lost forever."**_

"Again with the reference to legends and darkness." Raven said to herself.

"This song does not seem like it is foreshadowing something good in Ruby's future, but something very bad, maybe even death." Ghira said in a grave tone. Summer and Kali shuddered.

"I hope not." Summer whispered softly, not wanting anything to happen to her daughter.

"_**This will be the day we've waited for."**_

_**"We are lightning."**_

_**"Welcome to a world of new solutions."**_

"Now they're just repeating themselves." Tai said. Kali looking over to the blond to see what words he had caught.

"_**This will be the day we've waited for."**_

_**"This will be the day we open up the door."**_

_**"I don't wanna hear your absolution;"**_

_**"Hope you're ready for a revolution."**_

_**"Welcome to a world of new solutions."**_

_**"Welcome to a world of bloody evolution."**_

_**"In time, your heart will open minds,"**_

_**"A story will be told, and victory is in a simple soul."**_

"And now that's the end of it." Qrow said. Ghira was handed the remote and went back to the Volume 1 chapter menu, setting the remote down on the table and going to get another plate of food for Kali and he as the other one broke and spilled to the floor.

Kali went with her boyfriend to get more food. Summer and Tai were also hungry after learning what they had and went with the two Faunus. The Branwen Twins decided to stay out of the others way and stay seated.

"You know it will come out eventually, right?" Raven asked her brother. He just nodded in defeat.


	6. V1C2: The Shining Beacon

**Thank you to Baron Bolt (Guest 8), Guest 9, Guest 10, Zweig, Shiranai Atsune (Guest 11), Agent Numbuh 227, IChangedMyNane990, GuestGuestGuest (Guest 5), ashura83, GabuTheDragon, and OceanBlueSeaEyes for the reviews!**

**…**

**As I said in chapter 5, I changed and fixed the conversation with Ghira and the White Fang. Thank you all for telling me about the story that Blake told. I forgot about that, so thank you for helping me with that slip-up.**

**…**

**Baron Bolt (Guest 8): I am not doing OC's in this story. Also, Saffron is a small toddler, she is around Winter's age or maybe a bit older, we still don't know her age. She and Terra are small children, they are already born. And about Pyrrha's mom, I am not creating names for the characters we don't know (AKA the redhead woman in Volume 6).**

**Guest (Guest 9): Saffron is a small child, she is older than Jaune by a few years, she is probably Winter's age or a bit older. I am not making OC's or giving unknown characters names. I'm not having Ren's parents react to this.**

**Guest (Guest 10): I fixed the White Fang conversation in the last chapter.**

**Zweig: I fixed the conversation with the White Fang.**

**Agent Numbuh 227: Ah yes… Salem. This is their first time hearing about Salem or hearing her in general. This is going to change how they view their duties as Huntsmen. Ozpin/Salem conversation in the beginning will be brought up in future chapters by Team STRQ and Kali and Ghira.**

**GuestGuestGuest (Guest 5): Yeah, what Ruby and the others did was not okay at all. The Xiao Long-Rose-Branwen family will be very fun for me for me to write the dynamic between the members of Team STRQ! Raven and Qrow will have a lot of questions, especially Raven. And when the others find out about the tribe and the twins' mission for even coming to Beacon in the first place, that will just be a bad situation all around.**

* * *

After the young adults got food they continued watching their future.

**The Shining Beacon**

**The opening starts with Ruby Rose kneeling at Summer's Gravestone near the Cliffside Forest. In the midst of a snowstorm, she looks up and sees a figure wearing a white cloak with a red interior (nearly identical to hers) that looks as if a person is wearing it before dissolving into white rose petals.**

"That's… I'm already dead when Ruby and Yang enter Beacon." Summer gave out a horrified whisper.

Tai, and Kali tried to comfort the white-cloaked young woman. Ghira and the Branwen Twins grimace at Summer's heartbroken tone. They too know death, and it is never pleasant.

"Let's just continue, yes?" Kali asked Summer, she nods hesitantly and takes a shuddered breath to regain her fragile composure.

**The moon starts to scatter as the sky changes color, and a huge gust of wind kicks up snow and rose petals from Ruby's cloak. The camera pans to the left with the snow and rose petals, revealing the title of the show.**

**Weiss Schnee is seen under a spotlight in the Schnee Training Room, possibly preparing to sing as she closes her eyes.**

**Blake Belladonna appears next, standing on a branch in Forever Fall forest, and then disappearing suddenly when a branch passes over the camera. In the background, outlines of Adam Taurus' mask and face are seen over the moon.**

"That man, are he and Blake are in a relationship? Or were in a relationship?" Kali asked.

"Perhaps." Ghira said, not liking the Bull Faunus one bit.

**Yang Xiao Long looks over the city where Junior's Club is situated, checking her Scroll before looking up and riding off on her motorcycle, Bumblebee, in a cloud of smoke.**

"She's looking for me." Raven said without emotion in her voice but was secretly wondering if something happened to her in the future. Was she MIA? Was she dead and it just hadn't been confirmed yet? Raven didn't know, but was hoping that would show soon, she needed to know what happened to her.

Qrow glanced at his sister, wondering about her future as well.

**Several creatures of Grimm - including dozens of Beowolves, a Death Stalker, and a giant Nevermore flying at the camera - are seen.**

**Roman Torchwick and a few of his henchmen appear.**

**The scene bursts into fire, and three silhouettes of Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai, and Cinder Fall are visible through the flames, as the camera zooms in on Cinder's right eye.**

"That's the woman who attacked Ruby!" Summer exclaimed in shock. "Who are they? Why does that fire woman want to hurt Ruby?" Summer asked frantically. The two Faunus and Tai tried to calm the black and red haired woman down.

**Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang prepare to fight a horde of shadowy creatures surrounding them as an orb of darkness is formed above. Ruby notices it just in time and the four get out of the way as it impacts the ground where they were. Ruby blasts herself forward into the fray, and her teammates follow.**

"Yang!" Tai and Raven shout together, they glance at each other and blush, looking back to the screen.

**Looking at a statue of a man and woman on a cliff over a Beowolf, Jaune Arc is joined by his teammates - Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren, and Nora Valkyrie - as they all look up to the sky.**

**Ozpin, holding a cane and his mug, and Glynda Goodwitch, with her scroll, look onward while at the railing of the front of the school's airship, which flies off as several smaller craft soar around it.**

"Ozpin and Goodwitch again, wonder what they are doing there." Qrow muttered.

**A quick shot of each of the girls in Team RWBY with their symbols: a red rose for Ruby; the white Schnee Dust Company snowflake for Weiss; a black flame for Blake and a burning yellow heart for Yang appear before a black background.**

_She has Tai's emblem? What happened to me? Where is Qrow in all of this?_ Raven thought, wondering where she was and where her brother was in all of this.

**Ozpin and Glynda, Jaune and his teammates, Yang, Blake, and Weiss all stand at the doors of Beacon Academy, and at the front, Ruby wields Crescent Rose, suddenly becoming a black silhouette (with her red cloak unchanged) that twirls the weapon around until she stops and allows the title to appear in the full moon behind her still-flowing cape.**

"That was an interesting opening." Qrow stated.

**A view of several ships carrying students and docking at the entrance of the school is the start of the new chapter. As soon as one lands, Jaune Arc emerges and goes over to the nearest trash can, hunching over it as he loses his lunch.**

"A Huntsman-in-training that has motion sickness. Now that's ironic." Qrow snorted, Tai also had a smirk playing on his lips.

"Poor guy, how the hell is he going to get over that one?" Tai asked.

**Ruby and Yang, alongside several other students, walk out of the ship and head down the paved path to the front of the school.**

**Ruby and Yang are taken in by Beacon Academy, "Wow..."**

**"The view from Vale's got nothing on this!" Yang shouted.**

**"Ohmygosh, sis! That kid's got a collapsible staff! And she's got a fire sword!" She tries getting closer, but Yang pulls her sister by the hood back into ****reality. "Ow! Ooww!" Ruby geeks out when she sees all of the new weapons.**

"Nerd!" Tai said, smirking at Summer.

"Guess we know where she got from, eh Summer?" Tai poked her in the ribs, Summer rubbed her neck, blushing as her daughter geeked out from all of the weapons.

"Well, she is two years younger than the rest of these students. Of course she's going to be excited." Summer said.

**"Easy there, little sister. They're just weapons!" Yang tells her sister.**

"Just weapons?" Summer asked, mimicking Ruby.

**"'Just weapons'? They're an extension of us! They're a part of us! Oh, they're **_**so**_** cool!" Ruby gets excited once again.**

**"Well, why can't you swoon over your own weapon? Aren't you happy with it?" Her sister asks with a small head tilt of confusion.**

**"Of course I'm happy with Crescent Rose! I just really like seeing new ones. It's like meeting new people, but better..." She mutters that last part.**

"So that's her name. Fitting in my opinion." Summer grinned broadly as she looked at her daughter and the weapon she had created. Raven rolled her eyes.

**Yang playfully grabs Ruby's hood down to show her face. "Ruby, come on, why don't you go try and make some friends of your own?"**

**Ruby slowly takes off her hood. "But... why would I need friends if I have you?"**

"She's too dependent on Yang. Yang is right, Ruby needs to branch out. She can't just keep staying with Yang, even if she wants to." Raven said, looking between Summer and Tai.

"Since when do you care?" Qrow asked.

"I'm sorry?" Raven asked, turning to her brother.

"You heard me. Since when do you care about others? More importantly their children?" Qrow asked.

"One of those children is my _daughter_. You _know _what that means. Don't you?" The female hissed to the male Branwen.

Qrow's red eyes widen as he flinched back, "Shit. You're right. Sorry, wasn't thinking." He muttered, trying to get Raven to kill him once this was over.

"That's right, you weren't." Raven turned back to the tv screen kept on watching, completely ignoring her brother.

**"Well..." Yang starts, "Actually, my friends are here. Gotta go catch up. 'Kay, see ya, bye!"**

**Ruby spun around to try and find her sister. "Wait, where are you going?! Are we supposed to go to our dorms? Where are our dorms? Do we have dorms? I don't know what I'm doing..." Ruby said with her head down, sad.**

"Oh, Ruby…" Summer had her hand cover her mouth, a sad expression on her face as she watched her daughter.

**Ruby falls backwards into a luggage cart, sending cases flying. Someone is standing over her.**

**"What are you doing?!" Weiss screams.**

"_Schnee_. That bitch, kill her, Ruby!" Qrow yelled, red eyes flashing with murder.

Tai, Summer and the two Faunus didn't know what to make of Qrow's outburst. But they were concerned.

**"Uh, sorry!" Ruby said, getting up.**

**"Sorry?! Do you have any idea of the damage you could have caused?" Weiss asked, leaning into Ruby's face.**

Qrow growled like an animal as his hand twitched toward his weapon. However he didn't get that far as he jumped backward, leaping off of the loveseat he was sitting on as it erupted into shards of ice. He turned to the one other person who always had their weapon on them at all times, not including him.

"Enough, Qrow." That was all Raven had to say to get Qrow to settle back down, this time sitting on the couch opposite of his sister.

**"Uuhhh..." Ruby stupidly says, still disorientated.**

**"Give me that!" Weiss says angrily, snatching the Dust vial. "This is **_**Dust**_** \- mined and purified from the Schnee quarry!" The white haired girl shouted at the younger girl.**

Summer was getting a bit angry at this Schnee girl. She knew she shouldn't judge anyone on who their family was but this was getting out of hand. Tai was also getting worried about what Ruby would do if she was paired up with the Schnee for initiation.

**"Uuuhhhh..." Ruby says again, still not knowing what she did wrong to get this other girl so mad at her.**

**"What are you, brain-dead? Dust! Fire, water, lightning, energy!" Weiss shouted.**

**"I... I know..." Ruby says, while coughing.**

**"Are you even listening to me? Is any of this sinking in? What do you have to say for yourself?!" She gets in Ruby's face again.**

"Shut up you bitch and listen to yourself for a change." Qrow was pissed, this Schnee girl was pissing him off more and more, and he didn't know why. Maybe it was because of Ruby being Summer and Tai's kid. The others shot him looks but he ignored them.

**Ruby, who had been receiving more and more Dust to her face, finally sneezes, which erupts into a full-blown explosion of flame, snowflakes, and electricity right onto Weiss. The bottle she had been holding flies over the courtyard and at the feet of Blake Belladonna, who picks it up and notices the Schnee Dust Company logo on the side as she reads from a book and looks over at the scene.**

"Blake!" Kali and Ghira exclaimed in shock and happiness to see their daughter back on the screen.

**Weiss was covered in soot because of the explosion. "Unbelievable! This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!" Weiss shouts again.**

**Ruby apologized, "I'm really, **_**really**_** sorry!"**

**"Ugh, you complete **_**dolt**_**! What are you even **_**doing**_** here? Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?" Weiss asked her.**

**"Well, I-I..."**

**"This isn't your ordinary combat school. It's not just sparring and practice, you know! We're here to fight **_**monsters**_**, so... watch where you're going!"**

"Fuck off! She apologized, you BITCH!" Qrow roared out, furious at this young Schnee girl who was yelling at his niece.

The others besides Raven jumped at Qrow's angry shout. They didn't know why he was so angry at the Schnee's or about Weiss.

"Why are you so angry about this girl, Qrow?" Summer asked her partner.

The Bad Luck Semblance user glared at his leader. He clenched and unclenched his fists, seething in anger. Cracks on the walls started appearing. Raven saw this and made a portal appear behind her brother, going in and putting her hands on his shoulders, trying to calm him down.

"What has you all crazy? Hmm? You've never acted like this before when the Schnee's have come up, so what's wrong?" Raven asked plainly.

He tried speaking. "I…. I don't know! I just…" Qrow screamed out in frustration. He pulled at his hair; his red eyes looked like they were turning redder.

Qrow left the room in a hurry, his body was shaking. No one said anything, no one questioned Raven, they didn't know what to say.

After a while Qrow came back more red-eyed than usual and sat next to his sister, he hugged her, and she let him without complaint. Summer and Tai have never seen the two twins look affectionate toward each other, so seeing Qrow and Raven embrace was a very rare and oddly concerning sight.

"I'm okay. Sorry." Qrow whispered out to the rest of the occupants in the room.

**Ruby was finally fed up with how Weiss was acting. "Hey, I said I was sorry, princess!"**

**"It's heiress, actually." Ruby and Weiss look over as Blake approaches with the bottle. "Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world."**

**Weiss smiled smugly. "Finally! Some recognition!"**

**"The same company infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners." Blake said with a flat tone.**

Kali and Ghira winced. They both knew the horror stories that escaped Faunus told them when they welcomed them into Menagerie.

"So they're still using Faunus labor." Ghira said, clenching his fists.

**"Wha- How dare- The nerve of... Ugh!"**

**"I promise I'll make this up to you!" Ruby sighs. "I guess I'm not the only one having a rough first day... So, what's...?" She sees Blake walking off as well, then collapses to the ground on her****back "Welcome to Beacon..." She remains this way until a shadow comes over her.**

"Well that was rude." Summer muttered under her breath, casting a look to the two Faunus.

Kali and Ghira shrug, not know why their daughter was so closed off.

**Jaune holds out his hand to Ruby. "Hey... I'm Jaune."**

"Vomit boy!" Tai said with a goofy smile. The rest of Team STRQ smirked a little.

**"Ruby." She takes the offered and stands up. "Aren't you the guy that threw up on the ship?"**

* * *

**Beacon inside the walls are filled with scenic trees, arching architecture, and a winding road alongside a river, down which Ruby and Jaune are ****walking.**

**"All I'm saying is that motion sickness is a much more common problem than people let on!" Jaune argued.**

**Ruby laughed. "Look, I'm sorry! Vomit Boy was the first thing that came to mind."**

"You two think alike!" Summer said with happiness. Glad her daughter got something from her father, if Tai really was Ruby's father.

**"Oh, yeah? What if I called you Crater Face?" he asked with a slightly mocking voice.**

**"Hey, that explosion was an accident!" Ruby exclaimed.**

**"Well, the name's Jaune Arc! Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue - ladies love it!"**

Team STRQ and the two Faunus raised their eyebrows, skeptical of what the blond boy had said.

**Ruby was skeptical, "Do they?"**

"Even Ruby doesn't believe you, kid." Tai said.

**"They will! Well, I-I hope they will. My mom always says that... Never mind."**

**Ruby giggles,****"So... I got this thing!" She pulls out Crescent Rose and stabs it into the ground.**

"That's my girl!" Summer shouted with glee. Her bright grin came alive on her face as she watched her daughter with her weapon.

**"Whoa! Is that a scythe?" Jaune yelled in shock and slight fear.**

"Yeah, he should be careful with her." Tai said, crossing his arms like a protective parent. And in a way he was.

**"It's also a customizable high-impact sniper rifle!" Ruby explained.**

**"A-wha...?"**

"It's a gun." Qrow and Ruby said almost at the same time. Qrow ducked his head and kept it down until the stares were gone.

**Ruby gave him a small smile. "It's also a gun."**

**"Oh. That's cool!"**

**"So what've you got?" She asked.**

**"Oh! I, uh... I got this sword!" He said, unsheathing his blade.**

**Ruby became starry-eyed. "Ooooohh!"**

**"Yeah, and I've got a shield, too!"**

**Ruby touched the shield. "So, what do they do?"**

**Jaune fumbled with the shield as it retracts off his arm, expands, and retracts again before putting it back in place and finally shrinking it down for good, placing it on his belt. "The shield gets smaller, so when I get tired of carrying it, I can just... put it away..."**

**"But... wouldn't it weigh the same?"**

**"Yeah, it does..." He said dejectedly.**

**Ruby giggled. "Well, I'm kind of a dork when it comes to weapons, sooo... I guess I did go a little overboard when designing it."**

**"Wait - you **_**made**_** that?!" The blond boy was pointing at the weapon in utter shock and awe.**

_Interesting, could he be from outside of the Kingdoms?_ Raven thought, could this boy be similar to her and Qrow?

**"Of course! All students at Signal forge their own weapons! Didn't you make yours?" She asked, confused.**

"That is pretty odd." Summer said, hand on her chin. Tai was thinking the same thing. Raven and Qrow tensed as their two teammates looked at them for a moment and then went back to the tv screen.

**"It's a hand-me-down. My great-great-grandfather used it to fight in the war." He said.**

"His family fought in the Great War?!" Qrow and Tai exclaimed in shock.

"There aren't many families that old, most died out about a decade after the War." Raven said. Qrow muttered that he knew that, they had the same teacher back at the Tribe.

**"Sounds more like a family heirloom to me!" She laughed. "Well, I like it! Not many people have an appreciation for the classics these days."**

**"Yeah, the classics..." Jaune said.**

"She's right. A sword and shield does as well on the battlefield as any other weapon if used properly." Raven said.

**Ruby moved on, "So why'd you help me out back there? In the courtyard?"**

**Jaune shrugged, "Eh, why not? My mom always says, 'Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.'"**

**"Hmm." Ruby looks around. "Hey, where are we going?"**

**"Oh, I don't know! I was following you." Jaune said as the scene fades to black. "Y-You think there might be a directory? Maybe a food court? Some kind of recognizable landmark? Is, uh... Is that a 'no'?"**

**Ruby laughed. "That's a 'no'."**

"It's a wonder your daughter can go anywhere without getting lost." Raven deadpanned to her team leader.

"Hey! It's not her fault. She gets lost, everyone does." Summer defended her daughter.

Raven hummed with a raised eyebrow, leaving the viewing room with her brother. Kali and Ghira looked at the two other Humans with them but they just shrugged.

"What's up with them?" Kali asked.

"No idea, but something definitely happened for Qrow to get crazy like that with that Schnee girl." Tai said.

Kali and Ghira thought about that, but couldn't come up with any answers as to why Qrow hated the Schnee's so much. Maybe some of their family were Faunus? But neither of them would know anything if the Branwen Twins didn't want to share.

Ghira couldn't help but listen in to the conversation in the other room.

**…**

"What's up? No one is here. Why did you freak out back there?" Raven asked her brother, actually concerned about him.

"I don't know what's happening to me, Rae! My Semblance is going crazy; I can _feel_ it inside of me. I can feel that it wants to get out and destroy! That's all its good for, that's all I'm good for! I destroy everything I touch…" He collapsed on the ground sobbing in front of his sister.

"That's not true, little brother. You are good. I know you are, please believe that. You, Summer, Tai… and Yang, you four are my family, no matter what. And we protect our own, you know that." Raven said.

Raven sat on the cold floor and hugged her sobbing brother, held him until he calmed down and until they both felt ready to go back and face the others.


	7. V1C3: The Shining Beacon Part 2

**Thank you to jmknz777, Sorna-Raptor, Shiranai Atsune (Guest 11), Agent Numbuh 227, Helenget (Guest 12), OceanBlueSeaEyes, and Alucard45 for the reviews!**

**…**

**Agent Numbuh 227: Remember, Qrow's Semblance is a passive one, he can't control it. It comes out when he and the people he is with least expect it. His Semblance is Bad Luck, so it always causes him trouble, especially when he was younger, and he is younger, 17-19 years younger than his current counterpart that we are seeing in the show. Qrow is also not used to people caring about him (besides Raven, that is). He and Raven have always fended for themselves within their tribe, so being thrown into a new environment that suddenly has people that care about them, throws them for a loop. Raven loves her brother, she has always protected him and will continue to do so, even after she leaves Ozpin's inner circle. Qrow's emotions are in overdrive as he is seeing his and his team's future, and he is also worried about Raven, none of them know that she left Yang and the team; they think that she is missing or dead like Summer. Qrow is also thinking that he is the cause of Summer's death and Raven being missing. With his reactions to Weiss and the Schnee's… let's just say that will be brought up soon.**

**OceanBlueSeaEyes: His emotions are running high, and that causes his semblance to go crazy. Remember that his semblance is passive, and he has no control over it, even when we see him as an adult. It always comes out when Qrow and the people around him least expect it.**

**Alucard45: I have actually been reading Turniphater's story of RWBY and JNPR's reaction. That's what gave me this idea, having the parents react to their children. Also they're are curious about their future, about seeing what will happen in the future, that is why they don't try and leave. And after watching the trailers all six of the parents want to know what happens to their kids and their friends. Some of the backstory I will be making up from what we know about the characters and about their personalities. Also, about the Qrow's Ruby's dad thing, (I personally believe that Taiyang is Ruby's dad and that Qrow is like a second father/ father figure for her, and mentor to her.) I will be getting to that in this chapter.**

* * *

"Qrow what are you thinking?" Raven asked, still trying to get her brother to talk.

"What if she's mine, Rae? What if Summer and I have a kid?" Qrow asked with tears streaming down his face.

"You think that Ruby is yours and Summer's daughter?" She asked.

"Well don't you? I mean she has similar mannerisms as Summer but also me, she acts to similar to me and even wears a similar clothing design to me! What if Summer died because of me? Because of my Semblance, what if I was with her and she died because of me? I killed my daughter's mother…" He gripped his hair tightly, trying to pull tufts of it out.

"Qrow, Qrow, calm down! We don't know who Ruby's father is. But I promise you, that even if you are Ruby's father that does not mean that you killed Summer. That does not mean that whatever happened to her or to me is your fault. I know you blame yourself since you saw her gravestone during the first trailer. But, Qrow, not everything is because of you. And more than that, do you really think that Tai and Summer wouldn't let you visit your nieces? I know that even though your Semblance has caused problems in the past, I will never not allow you to see my daughter, your niece." Raven said, smiling at the end of her rant to Qrow.

"Come on; let's just keep watching the volumes and chapters so we actually find out what happened, hmm? What do you say, Qrow?" Raven asked her brother, he gives her a small nod and wiped his face with his hand. Raven pulled her twin up by his arm and the two siblings go back to the others.

**The Shining Beacon Part 2**

**Ruby and Jaune enter Beacon Academy's giant auditorium, it was filled to the brim with people. Ruby looks over when she hears Yang's voice.**

**Yang waved to her younger sister.**** "Ruby! Over here! I saved you a spot!"**

**Ruby turns to Jaune, **** "Oh! Hey, I-I gotta go! I'll see you after the ceremony!" the younger new students leaves the blond boy alone.**

"Wow, she's already a heart breaker, Tai!" Summer said. Tai blushed and laughed nervously.

"Wonder where she got that from?" Tai muttered, giving a small glace to Qrow and a knowing smile to the other Huntsman.

**Jaune reaches out to her, "Hey, wait!" He sighed and then shakes his head. "****Ah, great. Where am I supposed to find another nice, quirky girl to talk to?!" He slowly walks away, not noticing Pyrrha Nikos looking sadly at him.**

"Well she certainly seems interested in him." Kali said.

**Yang asks, "****How's your first day going, little sister?"**

**"You mean since you **_**ditched**_** me and I **_**exploded**_**?" Ruby raised an eyebrow.**

**"Yikes! Meltdown already?" Yang said with a goodhearted chuckle.**

**"No, I **_**literally**_** exploded a hole in front of the school! And there was some fire, and I think some ice...?" She said in a slightly confused tone.**

The group laughed as Ruby recounted what happened to her sister.

**Yang gives the girl a broad smile.**** "Are you being sarcastic?"**

"She isn't me, Yang." Tai said, shaking his head at his blonde daughter.

"Yang only could have gotten that from you." Raven said, casting a glare at the blond male.

**Ruby scoffs.**** "I wish! I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage, and then she yelled at me, and then I sneezed, and then I exploded, and then she yelled at me again, and I felt really, **_**really**_** bad, and I just wanted her to stop yelling at me!"**

**"You!" Weiss yelled. The white haired girl grabbed their attention.**

Qrow narrowed his eyes to glare at the younger Schnee. He didn't yell this time, just shook in his seat next to Raven. He still didn't know why he was acting like this toward the Schnee girl. Or why his Semblance decides to act up like this. Well, for the second thing, his damn Semblance has a fucking mind of its own.

**"****Oh, God, it's happening again!" Ruby said in a scared tone.**

**"You're lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!" Weiss growled angrily.**

**"Oh my God, you really exploded." Yang deadpanned.**

"Raven. That switch is defiantly from Raven." Summer pointed out.

**Ruby: "It was an accident.**** It was an accident!" Ruby was about to continue but ****Weiss holds up a pamphlet titled 'DUST for dummies and other Inadequate Individuals'**** "What's this?" Ruby asked, tilting her head.**

"Again, clueless. Like another person we know." Raven raises an eyebrow at Summer, who tries to hide in her white cloak.

**Weiss started speaking very fast. "****The Schnee Dust Company is not responsible for any injuries or damages sustained while operating a Schnee Dust Company product. Although not mandatory, the Schnee Family highly encourages their customers to read and familiarize themselves with this easy to follow guide to Dust applications and practices in the field."**

**"Uuhhh...?" Ruby couldn't answer.**

**"You really wanna start making things up to me?" Weiss asked with a slight tone of pitch to her voice.**

**"Absolutely?" Ruby said in uncertainty.**

**Weiss ****handed the pamphlet to Ruby,**** "Read this, and don't ever speak to me again."  
**

**"Look, uh, it sounds like you two just got off on the wrong foot. Why don't you start over and try to be friends, okay?" Yang tried to say.**

"That optimism, it can only come from you." Summer said to Taiyang.

"That's a good thing, not a bad thing." Kali gently reminded the Huntsman as he tried to comment. He gave the Faunus a smile.

"Thank you, Kali." Kali nods happily.

**"****Yeah! Great idea, sis!" Ruby beams at her sister. "****Hello, Weiss! I'm Ruby! Wanna hang out? We can go shopping for school supplies!"**

**"Yeah! And we can paint our nails and try on clothes and talk about cute boys, like tall, blond, and **_**scraggly**_** over ****there!" Weiss said with fake cheer.**

**"Hm?" Jaune hummed in a confused manner.**

**"Wow, really?!" The younger teen couldn't believe her ears.**

**"****No." Weiss told her with a glare.**

"No." Both Branwen twins deadpan. The other four look at the two in wonder. They wonder if it's just because they are twins that they can talk in sync like that.

**The girls' attention is drawn to the stage, where Professor Ozpin is readying the microphone, with Glynda beside him.**

"Now we'll get to see Oz. Lookin' forward to this." Qrow smirked and rubbed his hands together.

**"I'll... keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look among you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction.**** You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step." Ozpin said and then stepped off the stage without another word or glance back.**

"That doesn't seem right." Raven muttered, Qrow nods with his eyes narrowed, looking at the headmaster.

**"****You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed." Glynda said to the gathered students.**

"She's as strict as always." Summer said.

**"He seemed kind of... off." Yang said with her eyes slightly narrowed in thought.**

**"It's almost like he wasn't even there." Ruby muttered, thinking how strange he was.**

"Why do I get the feeling like we'll find out _why _the headmaster seems so scattered in a later episode or volume?" Ghira said, very curious about this man.

**Jaune tried and failed to flirt with Weiss. **** "I'm a natural blond, you know!"**

**Weiss puts her hand to her face in exasperation.**

"Give it a rest, lady killer." Tai and Qrow say. Raven and Ghira roll their eyes and huff at the blond boy, while Summer and Kali giggle.

* * *

**The first night at Beacon, students are splayed out in sleeping bags. Ruby, in her pajamas and with a sleeping mask around her head, is writing in a journal when Yang crashes next to her, similarly dressed.**

**"It's like a big slumber party!" Yang said to her sister in enthusiasm.**

**"****I don't think Dad would approve of all the boys, though." Ruby told her while writing her letter.**

"You're right, Ruby. I don't." Tai said to his daughter.

"She can't here you, Tai." Raven told him.

"You are such a dad!" Summer said with a smile. Happy that her friend is trying to already be a good dad to his daughters.

**"I know I do!" Yang purrs, and then asks, "****What's that?"**

**"A letter to the gang back at Signal. I promised to tell them all about Beacon and how things are going." Ruby explained.**

**"Aw, that's so cuuuute!" shouted Yang as a pillow was thrown at her by the younger girl.**

**"Shut up! I didn't get to take my friends with me to school! It's weird not knowing anyone here!" Ruby said angrily.**

"That is true. She is the social outcast from the start. She did get in two years ahead of everyone else. And doesn't know anyone but her family which is her elder sister." Ghira said.

**"What about Jaune? He's... nice! There you go! Plus one friend! That's a hundred percent increase!" Yang asked.**

**"****Pretty sure Weiss counts as a negative friend. Back to zero..." Ruby said in a sad voice.**

**"There's no such thing as negative friends! You just made one friend and one enemy!" Yang sighed as she tried to get her sister to see the positives.**** "Look, it's only been one day. Trust me; you've got friends all around you! You just haven't met them yet!"**

"Is that a corgi pillow? Do you have a dog in the future?" Qrow asked the other male.

"I don't know! This is the future, remember. We have no idea what is going to happen." Tai replied.

**The two sisters notice a candle being lit nearby, and Blake Belladonna is seen leaning against a wall, reading her book.**

"Blake." Kali said, smiling at getting the chance of seeing her daughter once again.

**"That girl..." Ruby muttered.**

**"You know her?" The blonde raised an eyebrow.**

**"Not really. She saw what happened this morning, but left before I could say anything."**

**"Well, now's your chance!" Yang smiled as she grabbed Ruby's arm and pulled her toward Blake.**

**"Wait! What are you doing?!"**

**Blake looks over her book to see Ruby unsuccessfully struggling against Yang's grip as she leads her sister over to Blake's spot before letting go.**

**"****Hel-looooo! I believe you two may know each other?" Yang rocked on her feet.**

**"Aren't you... that girl that exploded?" Blake asked, barely raising her eyes up.**

"Who does she get that from?" Raven asked the Faunus couple. Qrow smacked her on her shoulder.

"Don't be rude, will ya. You're the one that told me to get under control, so you should to." Qrow told his sister. Raven huffs and turns back to the tv screen.

**"Uh, yeah! My name's Ruby! But you can just call me Crater... ****Actually, you can just call me Ruby." Ruby said in embarrassment.**

**"****Okay." Blake answered.**

**Yang whispered to Ruby, "****What are you doing?"**

**"****I don't know - help me!" Ruby pleased with her blonde sister.**

The group laughed at Yang and Ruby's exchange with each other.

**"So... What's your name?" Yang asked, trying to remain friendly with this new person.**

**"****Blake."**

**"Well, Blake, I'm Yang, Ruby's older sister! I like your bow!"**

"She's hiding her Faunus trait." Kali said sadly.

"You know how things are in Vale. Things might not be going well in the future and Faunus get bullied. Or perhaps worse." Ghira said to his girlfriend.

"That doesn't comfort me, Ghira."

"Blake is safe, that is what matters. We will figure out the rest when it is shown." He said, taking a Kali's small hand and putting it in his, squeezing lightly. Kali leaned into him and stayed there.

**"****Thanks!" Blake said in irritation.**

**"It goes great with your... pajamas!" Yang tried, still failing miserably.**

**"Right..."**

**"****Nice night, don't you think?" Yang tries yet again.**

**"Yes - it's lovely! Almost as lovely as this book! ****That I will continue to read. ****As soon as you leave!" Blake tries to get the two sisters to leave her alone.**

"She really doesn't want to talk." Tai said.

"Some people aren't as open to social situations like you Taiyang." Summer reminded him.

**"****Yeah, this girl's a lost cause." Yang tells Ruby.**

**"****What's it about?" Ruby suddenly asks.**

"Your daughter likes books. Maybe they can be friends." Kali said to Summer.

**Blake was surprised. "****Huh?"**

**"Your book. Does it have a name?" Ruby asks, wanting to know more about the book, and hopefully about the girl.**

**"Well... i-it's about a man with two souls, each fighting for control over his body." Blake explains to Ruby.**

"Again, that feels like foreshadowing for later." Qrow says.

"Very true, but foreshadowing of what? And of whom?" Raven asked, even though she already has her suspicions.

**"****Oh, yeah... That's real lovely!" Yang didn't really like reading but knew it was a hobby of her sister's so she just bore with it for her sake.**

**"I love books. Yang used to read to me every night before bed. Stories of heroes and monsters... They're one of the reasons I want to be a ****Huntress!" Ruby told Blake.**

**Blake laughed a little. "****And why is that? Hoping you'll live happily ever after?"**

"Okay, she reminds me of you, Raven." Tai said.

"She's not wrong there, Tai. Huntsmen rarely get to live happily." Qrow said seriously. The temperature in the room felt like it dropped right then. Raven and Qrow both looked at each person there and gave a deadpan stare to Taiyang.

"How do you know that?" Ghira asked the twins.

"Death comes for everyone, no matter who they are. Huntsmen are the first to feel its embrace." Raven said ominously. The other two members of Team STRQ and the two Faunus shivered at the black haired woman's words.

Summer thinks to her future death. She shudders and wrapped her cloak around her even tighter than usual.

**"Well, I'm hoping we all will. As a girl, I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books... Someone who fought for what was right, and protected people who couldn't protect themselves!" Ruby declares.**

**"That's... very ambitious for a child. ****Unfortunately, the real world isn't the same as a fairy tale." Blake frowned to Ruby and her naivety.**

"Ain't that the truth." Qrow whispered. He closed his eyes, remembering his past, what he had to do to even be allowed to come here. Raven does the same, thinking back on everything that she has been through, with and without her brother.

Qrow was the one constant in her life, if she lost him, she would be lost. Maybe it would get better since she now has Summer and Taiyang, but Qrow will always remain with her. He had to, they would die together, or by the other's hand, if it ever comes to it.

Raven was the only one able to kill Qrow, and Qrow was the only one able to kill Raven.

**"Well, that's why we're here! To make it better." Ruby says.**

**"Oh, I am so proud of my baby sister!" Yang hugs Ruby, spinning her around.**

**"Cut it out!" Ruby kicked her sister, trying to get the stronger girl to let her go.**

**Blake laughed at their sibling antics, enjoying watching the two. "****Well, Ruby, Yang, it's a pleasure to ha-"**

**Weiss storms over to the three of them. "****What in the world is going on over here?! Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep?"**

**"****Oh, not you again!" Weiss and Yang say at the same time.**

**"Shh! Guys, she's right! People are trying to sleep!" Ruby says, trying to get them to quiet down a bit.**

**"Oh, **_**now**_** you're on my side!" Weiss says angrily, looking between the two siblings.**

"You're the one yelling." Summer commented.

**"I was always on your side!" Ruby said, attempting to get in the white haired girl's good graces again.**

**"Yeah, what's your problem with my sister? She's only trying to be nice!" Yang asked, slowly getting annoyed at the pale haired girl.**

**"She's a hazard to my health!" Weiss hissed out.**

Qrow and Raven's eyes widen at Weiss' statement. The two siblings look at each other, _Does Ruby really have Qrow's Semblance? Is she really Qrow's daughter? _Raven thought at the implications of that.

_Is she mine? Is this the proof Rae was waiting for? Did Ruby get my semblance?_ Qrow was hardly breathing at this point, he was too wrapped up in his mind to see or hear anything other than his running thoughts.

Raven didn't even think she could break him out this time.

**Blake, who rolls her eyes at the fight, simply closes her book, reaches over to grab her candle, and blows it out, enveloping the scene in black. **

"Qrow… Raven… Are you alright?" Summer asked slowly, trying her best to not scare the twins. Something was wrong; she and the other three could clearly see it all over Raven and Qrow's faces. But what had just happened? Why were they so freaked out?

Qrow suddenly lurched to the side, trying to get to the small bathroom they had in the place. Summer, Taiyang, Kali and Ghira could all hear Qrow empty the contents of his stomach.

Raven ran into the bathroom after her brother. Her expression said it all. She was terrified. Something was truly wrong if _Raven Branwen _was scared about something.

"Qrow! Qrow, we don't know for sure. Please, Qrow!" They hear Raven try and say to her brother.

"Don't know? Yes we do! This just proves it! Ruby…. Oh Gods…" Qrow trailed off and began vomiting again.

"No we don't! Speed is her Semblance, you saw the trailer." Raven said.

"It could have been edited to show the pace of the fight, better." Qrow said immediately.

The other four heard a ringing slap sound out. Summer and Kali gasped, Ghira and Taiyang tensed.

"It doesn't matter if she's yours, Qrow! She is family! We protect our family, no matter what! We are Branwens! They both have a place with us, and with Summer and Tai. They are our legacies, even if you don't want it to happen, it will. Someway, somehow, it will happen, Qrow. There is no way to prevent it." Raven finished off her rant.

"She'll be hunted down like fucking cattle! Just like I was!" Qrow yelled.

"I won't let that happen. I will not let Ruby or Yang suffer like we did! They are our family, we won't let that happen." Raven said sternly.

Qrow gave out a humorless laugh. "If you think things will suddenly change you are wrong. It's always been like that. There is nothing you can do, Raven." He whispers.


	8. V1C4: The First Step

**{OLD NOTE} (I'm sorry. Because I have been contacted by critics united I will be taking down this story, STRQ Future in a week. I thank everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited this story. Thank you so much for all of the support all of you have in this story.) {OLD NOTE}**

**{NEW NOTE} (So, I have fixed the problem of the last chapter. I will not be deleting this fic, and so, this is Team STRQ, Kali and Ghira's reaction to V1C4, The First Step. So here you go!) {NEW NOTE}**

**…**

**REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER 7: Thank you to Shiranai Atsune (Guest 11), ObviousHUN, Agent Numbuh 227, SodiumxChloride, OceanBlueSeaEyes, Jonas (Guest 13), and Guest 19 for the reviews!**

**ObviousHUN: Raven is changing, and when volume 5 and 6 come up, things will change.**

**Agent Numbuh 227: Qrow's downward spiral is honestly so fun for me to write. That's one of the things I liked about Volume 6, to see Qrow so down. I really loved that part of his character that was finally explored in Volume 6. Yes, Qrow's thinking is very unhealthy however; Raven is there to help him. She does care about him, as well as the others. So some nice fluffy Team STRQ moments coming soon!**

**SodiumxChloride: Qrow is going to get worse before he gets better. All of this is going to get worse before it gets better but now, Qrow has a support system and people who can and will help him.**

**…**

**Thank you to WildCard65, Dragunking1, SkylanderZilla, ObviousHUN, book lover reader, Sorna-Raptor, aceman88, and ashura83 for all the PM's!**

**Thank you to midnight49, Lord of Memory, AnimeGamerGirl23, Phantom Critic (Guest 14), Jonas (Guest 13), Guest 15, Kevin Bakeland, camilaeelisa2012, Sorna-Raptor, ObviousHUN, Guest 16, Kage-kitsune9001, Guest 17, moreyes93, TalonScythe, Alucard45, Freelancer Amber (Guest 18), WriterRA01, HBgamer111, Fennec9, CharlieMcGeeFan, Lord Erebos, Narsauce, and SlayerOreo for all the reviews, suggestions and help!**

* * *

Raven was still with Qrow for the remainder of the day. Summer, Taiyang, Kali and Ghira didn't see the siblings until the next morning, or what they assumed to be morning.

"Qrow, Raven, are you two alright?" Summer asked her teammates in a hesitant voice. She wasn't really sure what happened last night, but whatever happened had Qrow extremely upset and Raven fearful for her brother.

Summer and Tai hadn't seen such emotions from the twins, whatever happened with Ruby and Weiss, it wasn't for them to pry after but Summer still hoped they would talk about it in the future.

"Yeah, Sum. We're fine. Thanks for waiting for us. Let's continue." Raven said in a soft voice, both teammates were shocked by the sound of Raven's voice. They have never heard it that caring or soft before.

Kali and Ghira sat together and Team STRQ sat with each other. All six of them prepared to watch their children and their future together. However, before they started they got some breakfast food to eat while watching the next chapter.

**The First Step**

**Ren's eyes open slightly before waking up fully to see his best friend Nora Valkyrie in front of his face.**

"**Wake up, lazy butt!" Nora said dashing all around Ren.**

"Well, that's one way to wake someone up." Tai said while scratching his chin.

"She is rather enthusiastic." Kali comments.

**Lie Ren gets up with a groan as Nora hounds him.**

"**It's morning! It's morning! It's morning! It's morning!" Nora sang.**

"And loud. Too loud in my opinion." Raven says.

"Not everyone can be as stone-cold as you, Rae." Qrow pointed out to his sister.

**Lie Ren sighs again and the scene changes to him brushing his teeth in the restroom while Nora continues to talk.**

"**I can't believe we've been at Beacon for a full twenty-four hours! Not that I thought we'd get kicked out or anything, I mean, you're the perfect ****student and I'm... well, I'm **_**me**_**! But it's just crazy, you know?" Nora kept rambling to her best friend.**

"Poor boy. How can he keep up with that girl?" Ghira questions, no one had an answer for him.

**The scene changes to the ballroom, where the two are readying themselves. Nora is brushing her hair and still chattering while Ren is tightening the strings on his sleeping bag.**

"**We've been friends for **_**soooooooo**_** long! What are the odds we'd still be together? Well, not 'together-together...' Not that I'm not saying that you're not handsome; you **_**are**_** handsome, but that'd just be weird, right?" Nora blushed lightly trying to not have Ren notice.**

"So they're friends. I wonder what happened to them in the past." Summer says, wanting to know about the two friends' past and backstory.

**The scene changes again as the two are in the middle of eating their breakfast, Nora having a pancake hanging from her mouth as she is still talking.**

**Nora's voice was muffled because of the pancake in her mouth. "Right! What was I thinking? But still, I hope we end up on the same team together! Oohhhh! We should come up with some sort of plan, to make sure we end up on the same team together! What if we bribe the headmaster? No, that won't work. He has the school." Nora said.**

"That's an interesting idea. But it won't work." Raven said to Nora, even though she can't hear Raven speaking.

"Raven, don't even think about it." Summer warns. "You are not going to take these children away from each other." Summer scolds, Raven holds up her hands in mock surrender.

**The scene changes again as the two are readying themselves in the locker room, Ren loading Storm-Flower and Nora still talking.**

"Oh! Another weapon! I wonder what it will be this time." Summer asks, turning to the only other weapons' enthusiast in the room with her. Qrow shrugged but kept an eye on the boy. He seemed like a very interesting fellow.

"**I know! We'll have some sort of signal! Like a distress signal!" She gasped, "A **_**secret**_** signal so we can find each other in the forest! Can you imitate a sloth?" The orange haired teen asked the green-dressed boy.**

"How in the world is she so hyper? Not even Summer is like that." Qrow said, casting a look at his team leader. Summer blushed at his comment.

**Ren finally spoke, "Nora?"**

"**Yes, Ren?"**

"**I don't think sloths make a lot of noise." He said simply.**

"Thank you! They don't!" Raven shouted at the orange haired girl.

"And how would you know what sounds a sloth makes, Raven?" Taiyang asked the mother of his unborn daughter.

Raven stopped talking and turned to glare at the blonde. "Shut up." She hissed, and Tai practically jumped into Ghira's arms. The Faunus was not happy and dropped him on the ground in front of their feet.

"**That's why it's perfect! No one will suspect we're working together!" Nora exclaimed.**

**Ren smiled, "Come on Nora, let's go."**

"**Not 'together-together...' Nora giggled.**

"She likes him!" Summer and Kali said together, both were happy to see some sort of good relationship come out of everyone they have seen so far.

**Ren heads out while a skipping Nora follows, passing Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long as they are busy readying themselves.**

"Yang and Ruby!" Team STRQ all exclaimed.

"I wonder what they will do for initiation and the team assignments." Summer said, the others wonder as well.

Since Kali and Ghira aren't Huntsmen they don't know what to expect from all of this, especially regarding their daughter, Blake.

"**Wonder what those two are so worked up about?" Ruby asked.**

"**Oh, who knows? So, you seem awfully chipper this morning!" Yang said, giving her sister a smile.**

"**Yep! No more awkward small talk or 'getting-to-know-you' stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking." Ruby said in an excited manner, gripping Crescent Rose tightly in her hands.**

"She's confidant, that's good. But that also could lead to one's downfall." Raven said in a flat tone, watching her… _niece_, that was still very odd to think about, talk to her daughter.

"**Well, remember, Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together." Yang told her.**

**Ruby sighs in frustration, "You sound like Dad! Okay, first of all: What do meeting new people have to do with fighting? And secondly: I don't need people to help me grow up! I drink milk!" She said in a slightly angry tone.**

Tai and Summer chucked at Ruby's declaring. Ghira and Kali smiled and the Branwen siblings shook their heads at how the two sisters were acting.

"**But what about when we form teams?" Yang asked with a raised eyebrow.**

**Ruby suddenly became nervous. "Um, I don't know, I... I'll just be on your team or something..." She trailed off at the end.**

"Yang won't always be there for you, girl. Learn to do things on your own or you will never succeed." Raven said. Her eyes narrowed at Ruby.

"Hey! That's not fair, Raven. Ruby is two years younger than the rest of the students, and more than that, Yang and Jaune are the only two people she knows." Summer said to her teammate, defending her daughter.

Raven looked at Summer with a deadpanned expression. "If she does not get out of her comfort zone then she will die sooner, rather than later. That is a fact of life." Raven told her team leader.

Summer sputtered a response but Qrow cut in. "Rae's right, Summer. If Ruby doesn't do something to break out of that shy nature of hers she will end up in a bad situation with her only way out being death or to kill someone else."

Summer and the rest, besides Raven shivered at Qrow's dark words.

"**Maybe you should try being on someone else's team?" Yang suggested, hoping to get her sister to open up.**

"**My dear sister Yang, are you implying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me?" Ruby wasn't pleased to hear her sister suggest being on different teams.**

"**What? No! Of course I do! I just thought... I don't know, maybe it would help you... break out of your shell!" Yang said quickly, trying to get out of the situation she now found herself in.**

"**What the-?! I don't need to 'break out of my shell'! That's absolutely-" Ruby was cut off by Jaune.**

"Jaune does not seem too capable a Huntsman. Something feels off about him." Ghira said.

"He may be from outside of the Kingdoms." Summer said.

"No, Ghira is right, Summer. Something is off about him, whatever it is I have a feeling that it will spell trouble for whoever his teammates are." Qrow said. He could feel his Semblance acting up slightly whenever he thought of the blonde boy for some reason.

"Why do you say that?" Tai asked the other male.

Qrow and Raven shared a glance with each other. Raven thought something was off with the blonde as well. "He may be from outside the Kingdoms, but something doesn't seem right if he hasn't even heard of the initiation that goes on at Beacon." Raven said.

"**Ridiculous!" The blonde boy walked in between the sisters. "There's no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday! I would've remembered having to count that high! Why does this have to happen today?"**

**Jaune passes Weiss Schnee and Pyrrha Nikos as they ready themselves at their lockers.**

"That redhead is powerful." Raven suddenly says, catching the rest of the group off guard.

"How do you know that?" Kali asked.

Raven narrowed her eyes to stare that the redhead and said, "She will die a hero's death or live on for an even greater purpose." Raven says cryptically.

Qrow was used to his sister's cryptic words but the others weren't so they just stare at Raven like she sprouted a second head.

"Rae does that sometimes. Let's just continue." Qrow said, pointing at the TV screen.

"**So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself!" Weiss said, trying to get on the champion's good side.**

"Kiss up." Qrow muttered angrily, seeing the Schnee girl try and get a leg up from the other students, two of which are in his family.

"**Hmm... I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may." The redhead said cheerfully.**

"**Well... I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together." The white haired girl said.**

"**Well, that sounds grand!" Pyrrha said with a fake smile.**

"She isn't happy." Kali said sadly. Looking at the prodigy with sympathy on her face. Kali could see how broken the girl really was, just by looking into Pyrrha's eyes.

"**Great!" Weiss said with a slightly darker smile on her face.**

**The background disappears into a thundercloud as Weiss adopts a scheming pose and manic smile in her head.**

"Why are all Schnee's crazy and insane?" Qrow asked. Tai wacked him over his head and the others just shook their heads in amusement. Raven rolled her eyes at her brother's behavior.

"That's… creepy." Ghira said, leaning back away from the screen.

"**This will be perfect! The smartest girl in class combined with the strongest girl in class! Together we will be unstoppable! I can see it now! We'll be popular! We'll be celebrities! We'll get perfect grades! Nothing can come between us now!" Weiss thinks.**

Qrow growls, his eyes narrowed, almost making it so his pupils are silt like a snake.

Raven also doesn't like what she is seeing from the Schnee and narrows her red eyes as well. Both Branwen's subconsciously bring their hands to the handles of their weapons.

The only thing stopping them from drawing the weapons are Tai and Summer's quick reflexes of moving them away from each other and making them turn away from the screen showing Weiss.

When the two calmed down the other four breathed a sigh of relief.

**Jaune tried to flirt with Weiss yet again. "You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you."**

"Sorry lady-killer, I don't think that will work." Tai said with a smirk. It was aimed at Raven but one glare from Qrow stopped Tai's line of thinking.

"**You again?" Weiss said, irritated by the blonde.**

"**Nice to meet you, Jaune!" Pyrrha said with enthusiasm.**

"**Yeah, yeah." Jaune pushed Pyrrha away to talk to Weiss. "So, Weiss, couldn't help but overhear your fondness of me the other day."**

"You have no game!" Qrow said.

"And you do?" Raven asked her brother. Qrow huffed and his cheeks turned a light pink from his blush.

"**Oh, you've **_**got**_** to be kidding me!"**

"**Don't worry! No need to be embarrassed! So, been hearing rumors about teams! I was thinking you and me would make a good one! What do you say?" Jaune said with a smile.**

"Please, stop. You will not be able to even get a date from the Schnee girl if you continue." Ghira said with his head in his hands. Kali was trying to stop her laughing by muffling her mouth with her hand, but it wasn't working. The Cat Faunus burst out laughing at Jaune's attempt to woo Weiss.

**Pyrrha got Jaune's attention, "Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each, so-"**

"**You don't say." Jaune said, and ignored Pyrrha going back to talking to Weiss. "Well, hot stuff, play your cards right and maybe you could join up with the winning team."**

"Oh god! I feel like I'm watching a failing romantic comedy!" Tai said, tears in his eyes from laughing at how bad the blonde boy is screwing up. Summer was also laughing; Qrow and Raven though were trying not to ram their heads into the wall from how wrong this seemed to them. They have never watched a romantic comedy before.

"**Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" Weiss asked.**

"**Not in the slightest, snow angel." Jaune said.**

**Weiss pointed to the redhead, "**_**This**_** is Pyrrha."**

**Pyrrha waved to Jaune. "Hello again!"**

"At least she's not faking her kindness to new people." Kali said, happy for the redhead.

"**Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum!" Weiss informed him.**

"Wait a minute, what? Why would someone from Mistral, hell, Sanctum go to Beacon and not Haven?" Tai asked, confused by the notion.

"Beacon is the best Huntsmen academy." Raven said matter-of-factly.

"**Never heard of it." Jaune said with a lazy blink.**

**Weiss scoffed, "She's won the Mistral Region Tournaments four years in a row! A new record!"**

Tai whistled at Pyrrha's talent.

"Impressive. However, fighting against people and fighting against Grimm are two very completely different things." Qrow said. Raven agreed with him.

"While you are right, her level of skill had to have been brought out when she was very young, I would say about 4 or 5 years old." Raven said, speaking from experience. Raven stared her training with the tribe when she was very young, as did Qrow, but his was more of a way to beat him up.

"**The what?" The blonde asked, now fully looking at Pyrrha.**

**Weiss waved her arms in anger, "She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!"**

**Jaune gasped, "That's **_**you**_**?!" Jaune pointed to Pyrrha's face. "But they only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!" He said.**

"He recognized her from a cereal box cover." Qrow and Raven deadpanned at the same time.

"**Yeah, it was pretty cool. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you." Pyrrha said.**

**Weiss raised an eyebrow to Jaune. "So, after hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask **_**her**_** to be on your team?"**

"That's harsh." Tai said. Summer and Kali winced at the mean words toward the blonde goof of a boy.

"Harsh but necessary, if that boy doesn't have the skill or the guts to do what is needed he will die during initiation most likely." Raven said to her teammates and the two Faunus.

"**I guess not... Sorry…" Jaune says, hanging his head.**

"**Actually, Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader!" Pyrrha reassures him, trying to encourage him.**

**Jaune brightens up at that. "D'oh, stop it!"**

"**Seriously, please stop it. This kind of behavior should not be encouraged!" Weiss said to the Mistral Champion.**

"**Sounds like Pyrrha's on board for Team Jaune. Spots are filling up quick! Now, I'm not supposed to do this, but maybe I could pull some strings, find a place for you. What do you say?" Jaune gave a big smile as he said that.**

"**All right, that's a bit too close! Pyrrha, a little help, please?!" Weiss was getting uncomfortable and tried to have Pyrrha help get the blonde away from her.**

"Serves you right." Qrow said, still angry and fearful of what Weiss said about Ruby in the last chapter that they saw.

**Jaune looks back just in time to see Miló strike him, sending the would-be leader flying off the screen.**

"He sure is unlucky." Kali said with her hand on her cheek. Qrow and Raven stare at her and then try and calmly exhale the breath they were both holding in.

_No one knew. At least not yet._ Qrow thought with narrowed eyes as he continued to watch what was happening.

"**I'm sorry!" Pyrrha yelled.**

**An announcement plays on the intercom system.**

**Glynda's voice can be heard. "Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately."**

"I wonder if it will be the same initiation that we had." Tai said.

"Maybe it will be different." Summer said.

"Do you think it would be possible if we were to become Huntsmen?" Ghira asked.

The team leader of Team STRQ looked at the male Faunus. "I don't know, perhaps." Summer said.

"You can. If that is what you wish to do, you can still enroll into an academy. You two are only a few years older than us. You can still enroll if you wish. However, it will be grueling long hours, since you two have not been training to become Huntsmen since you were children or early teenagers." Raven informed the two Faunus.

"How do you know that?" Tai asked her with a raised brow.

"Qrow and I live outside of the Kingdoms; we kind of had to know that if we wanted to enroll into a Huntsman Academy on time and within the age requirements." Raven told the blonde.

**Weiss passes Jaune as he hangs from the wall of a locker on her way out. Pyrrha follows her, grabbing her spear and dropping Jaune to the ground.**

"**It was nice meeting you!" Pyrrha said with a kind smile.**

"**Likewise..." Jaune muttered.**

**Yang and Ruby approach the other blonde. "Having some trouble there, lady-killer?"**

"Even Yang agrees you got no game Jaune, sorry, man.: Tai laughed. Ghira and Raven rolled their eyes at Taiyang's comment and the others just chuckled in amusement at the blonde goof.

"**I don't understand. My dad said all women look for is confidence! Where did I go wrong?" Jaune asks as he accepts Ruby's help to get up off the ground.**

"Everything!" Tai said.

The blonde Huntsman-in-training was about to say something else but was stopped by a pillow being shoved into his face. Qrow was standing above and said, "Tai, man, shut up. No one wants to hear you try and teach this kid how to unsuccessfully flirt. More than that, the kid cant even hear you so it would be pointless."

"Qrow let him up before-" Raven was cut off watching her brother be flipped over the couch by an angry Taiyang.

"What the hell, Qrow?! You could have killed me!" Tai shouted. Qrow flinched at the blonde's shout as well as his sister's warning glare.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hold you down for that long." The black haired Branwen muttered as he got up and sat back down a little ways away and on a small seat.

"'**Snow Angel' **_**probably**_** wasn't the best start." Yang said with a small chuckle.**

"**Come on, Jaune, let's go." Ruby said, pulling her new friend along with her sister.**

**Ruby leads Jaune out of the locker room by supporting him and his damaged self-esteem.**

* * *

**The scene opens to the Beacon Cliff, overlooking a forest, where several students — some old, some new, and some unseen — are standing on silver tiles in front of a mug-holding Professor Ozpin and Glynda with her tablet.**

"Nope! It's the same initiation." Tai said.

"Wonder why Ozpin hasn't changed it after all that time?" Summer asked.

Both Branwen's were curious to that as well, but they wanted to keep their opinions to themselves for the time being. Whatever the reason is for Ozpin not changing the initiation exam was bound to come up. More than that, they haven't even seen their older counterparts, but Raven and Qrow figured that wouldn't be for a while, probably Volume 2 or 3 is where they would see their older counterparts.

"**For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin started.**

**Glynda cleared her throat. "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of "teams." Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today."**

"**What? Ohhh..." Ruby started mentally freaking out.**

"Good luck, Ruby!" Summer cheered on her daughter. Tai, Kali and Ghira, surprisingly, cheered on their own children. Raven and Qrow were still remaining silent but were mentally hoping that Yang, in Raven's case, would succeed. Qrow's mouth twitched as he glanced at Summer and Tai, and mentally hoped nothing bad would happen to either of the girls.

"**These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Ozpin continued where Glynda left off.**

**Ruby groaned.**

"Tough luck, Ruby. If what we saw in the trailers was true, then that means that the Schnee girl and Ruby will be paired up together and Yang and Blake will be paired up together." Tai said. Looking at Qrow to see his reaction to that.

"Over my dead body!" He seethed; the red-eyed man clenched and unclenched his fists in anger. "No way is that _Schnee _going anywhere near Ruby or Yang! More than that, if she even thinks about doing anything to either of those girls I don't care what I have to do that girl is dead." Qrow hissed.

Raven didn't even try and calm him down, all she said was, "You try and kill that Schnee girl then Jacques Schnee will have your head."

"Or I'll get his." Qrow fired back at his sister.

"Qrow, you remember what happened last time, right? If you continue this then it will be even worse, and you know what could happen." Raven whispered softly to her brother, trying to get him to not accidently kill someone.

"**That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." The green and black dressed man said while taking a sip of the drink in his mug.**

"Yep, it's the same!" Tai said with a grin. Summer nods and frowns looking between her daughter and Raven's. She's not sure what the outcome of the initiation will be, but she hoped that Ruby and Yang will be on the same team together. From the trailers, it looks like they are, but Weiss Schnee and Blake are two things that could and most likely will change their sibling dynamic if the Branwen twins were any indication of that, the girls might be the same as Qrow and Raven , at least partially.

"**Whaaaat?!" Ruby yelled out.**

**Nora turned to Ren, "See? I **_**told**_** you-!"**

"**After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die." The headmaster said seriously.**

"That's horrible!" Kali shouted.

"That's life. Life's not fair and the world isn't all that great once you know what's out there and would is still out there, waiting to be discovered." Qrow said.

The room was filled with tension and anxiety at Qrow's words. Summer and Tai already knew that, but that didn't mean that they needed to be reminded of that fact. Ghira frowned at the other male and Kali shivered, fearing for her daughter and clinging onto Ghira as a result of that fear.

**Jaune laughs nervously and then gulps loudly.**

"**You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?" He glances over the students before speaking once more.**

**Jaune raised his hand, "Yeah, um, sir?"**

"**Good! Now, take your positions." He told the students.**

"Good luck, Ruby. Good luck, Yang." Summer said.

"Luck has nothing to do with it. It seems like Ozpin already knows the outcome of the pairings and teams." Raven said to her team leader.

"Then why bother?" Ghira asked the black haired female.

"Cuz he's a sadistic ass who enjoys playing with people." Qrow grumbled, remembering his first training session with Tai and Summer. Ozpin was watching them, especially Qrow and Summer spar. Raven was also being watched by Ozpin but for a different reason, or so Raven had told him.

Qrow figured out the reason why Ozpin was watching him closely. His Semblance. That was the only reason, or a major reason as to why he's still being watched, now he didn't even need Raven to tell him, or give him a look. He could tell from the atmosphere of whatever room he's in that Ozpin is there, watching and waiting in the shadows for him to either mess up and truly reveal his Semblance or wait until it's too late, that he kills someone.

**Everyone strikes a pose on their tile. Nora crouches low, Ren wields his weapons, Yang raises her fists, Ruby readies her body, and Jaune is still raising his hand.**

"**Uh, sir? I've got, um... a question. So, this landing... strategy thing... Uh, wha-what is it? You're, like, dropping us off or something?" Jaune asked, not knowing what they were supposed to do.**

"**No. You will be falling." Ozpin answered simply.**

"Sadistic ass." Qrow muttered. His initiation had been horrible from the very start. His Semblance acted up the moment he was supposed to launch so it didn't launch him until noon that day. Then he kept encountering Grimm and after hours of Grimm killing, and hunting on some occasions he finally found his partner, Summer Rose. The girl with silver eyes.

**Jaune continued to question the man while still not being aware of what is happening around him, "Oh, uh, I see... So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?"**

"**No. You will be using your own 'landing strategy.'"" The man told the aspiring Huntsman.**

"**Uh-huh... Yeah."**

**At her turn, Yang winks at her younger sister, puts on a pair of aviators, and flies off with a "Woo-hoooooooo!" a second before Ruby joins her.**

"**So, what exactly is a landing strategYYY!..." Jaune tries to ask but is launched into the air.**

**He asks this part just when he finally has to get hurled with the cloud of students now making their way down into the forest below under the eyes of the teachers. Ozpin, for his part, simply takes a sip of his drink before the scene goes black.**

"Well, that was… eventful, at least." Kali said.

"Let's just continue, the only thing really to take in is the new people that showed up. Ren and Nora, as well as Pyrrha." Tai said.

"Want to continue? Or stop for a while and let everything sink in?" Summer asked the other occupants in the room.

"I want to continue, we are just getting to the good part, Summer!" Tai said in an enthusiastic voice.


	9. V1C5: The First Step Part 2

The six young adults immediately went to the next chapter in the first volume.

**The First Step Part 2**

**The opening ends to an overhead view of Emerald Forest, where a black bird is flying slowly and magnificently, right up to the moment it gives a final shriek and Ruby crashes through it in a burst of feathers as she plummets downward.**

"Finally the initiation! Oh, I'm so excited to see what the girls do!" Summer squealed in happiness at watching her daughter and her future teammates and friends.

"**Birdie, no!" Ruby shouts as she falls through the air.**

Tai and Qrow chuckled at Ruby's antics but couldn't help smiling at the younger girl.

Summer and Kali both had soft smiles on their faces, admiring Ruby's softness even towards Grimm.

Raven narrowed her eyes at Ruby, not knowing how to react to this type of situation.

**Ruby fires off a few rounds from Crescent Rose to slow her down, then turns the weapon into its scythe form to catch the branch of a tree in her blade and fall downward at a slower pace.**

"That's some skill. Who did she train under, I wonder." Ghira asked, looking between Summer, Tai and Qrow. Qrow was nervous about the attention he was getting from his other teammates and the male Faunus.

Raven touched his arm lightly and gave him a small nod and smile that no one would be able to see. Qrow calmed down and gave his twin a slight squeeze of her hand, thanking her silently.

**Weiss, armed with Myrtenaster, summons a white snowflake circle under her and leaps off of it to the forest below.**

"That's the Schnee family Semblance, it's one of the only hereditary Semblances there is." Summer informed the other.

Qrow and Raven took in the style of the Schnee girl's fighting style and the style of Glyphs she was using, hoping to try and find some weaknesses to it, thinking one day they would have to fight one of the Schnee sisters, as enemies. Or something like that. Qrow was hoping Ruby wouldn't be hurt too badly with a Schnee as a partner but he didn't know what the future would bring, that's why the six of them were there in the first place.

**Ren descends, with Nora Valkyrie briefly being seen next to him at a faster speed, and spins in the air, eventually using Storm-Flower's blades to spiral around the trunk of a large tree and hit the ground, brushing off his clothes before looking up to see...**

"Oh! It's the ninja boy and the thunder girl; I think the girl's name is Nora." Kali said, interested in seeing what the duo would do and who their other teammates would be.

"**Woo-hoo! Yeah! Alley-oop!" Yang shouts, having the time of her life up in the air.**

"Of course Yang wouldn't take initiation seriously. I wonder where she got that carefree attitude from." Raven asked sarcastically, looking at Taiyang with a deadpan expression.

Tai nervously shuffled away from the Branwen woman and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's good to be carefree from time to time, Raven." He said.

"Not when she is in a Grimm infested forest and could be killed at a moment's notice. I will not have my daughter die for such an idiotic reason, Taiyang Xiao Long." Her eyes seemed to glow. The only one capable for calming her down did so. Qrow got in between the two of them and sat down right on Raven's lap.

"Qrow! What the hell, get off me!" Raven screamed, trying to push her brother off of her.

"Nope! Not until you don't have the urge to kill Tai." Qrow said as he leaned slightly back against his sister.

Raven just sighed. "Fine! But when we finish this chapter you will regret it." She told her brother, steel in her voice. Raven felt her brother shiver and smirked darkly. Only she could scare her brother like that. Well, her and the Tribe chief.

The others watched as Raven delivered her threat and saw Qrow pale and shiver. "Still not getting off you." He muttered, only Kali and Ghira were able to hear his muttered words.

**Yang, soaring right over the treetops, is using her gauntlets and its fiery force to push her through the air further and further north, spinning and laughing with each blast, even when she crashes through the leaves of a tree and leaps off two trunks to tumble to the ground.**

"**Nailed it!" She said the pun and then runs off.**

"NO!" Raven and Qrow shouted together. Summer laughed fully and Tai grinned broadly.

"Yes! The pun master now has an apprentice!" He shouted, raising his arms and pumping his fists in amusement.

Kali and Ghira didn't know what was happening with the Beacon team but decided to not comment on their strange behavior with each other.

**Pyrrha, her weapon in sword form and armed with a shield, crashes through several trees and rolls on a branch, immediately shifting her blade into a rifle and looking through the scope at Jaune as he continues to scream and fall helplessly. Pyrrha coolly transforms her weapon again to its spear form, takes a moment to evaluate her throw, and rockets the javelin deep into the forest until a "THUNK!" is heard.**

**Jaune shouts, "Thank you!" in the distance.**

"At least she saved him from a bad fall that could have likely killed him." Ghira said.

"And she's willing to be his partner from the looks of it." Kali commented.

"That's right, those two kids we saw in the last chapter and now Jaune and Pyrrha." Summer said.

"So the teams have already been predetermined by Ozpin. Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora and ninja-boy. Ruby, Yang, Blake and Weiss as another team." Raven said.

**Pyrrha frowned in guilt, and then yelled in the same direction the other yell came from. "I'm sorry!"**

"Why does she keep apologizing?" Tai asked.

"Maybe that's how she was brought up? Her parents wanted her to bear responsibility for her actions so they might have made her learn that by apologizing she wouldn't mistakenly offend or disrespect someone." Summer suggested, she was basing what she was saying from what she had seen in her own home. She was a very shy girl when she was younger, hell, she still is.

**In the middle of the forest, Ruby lands in a crouch, then darts off with a single mantra in her mind.**

"Ruby!" Summer said in surprise at seeing her daughter again. She would never get used to that, but she was happy and cheerful nonetheless.

**Ruby was frantically chanting in her head, "**_**Gotta find Yang! Gotta find Yang, gotta find Yang, gotta find…" **_**Then she started calling out to her sister. "Yang! **_**Yaaaang!**__**Oh, this is bad, this is really bad... What if I can't find her? What if someone finds her first? Well, there's always Jaune. He's nice. He's funny! ...I don't think he's very good in a fight, though. Ooh! What about Blake?! So mysterious, so calm... Plus she likes books! Then again, I'm not sure I'd be able to hold a conversation with her... Ugh!**__**Okay... Who else do I know in this school? There's Yang, Jaune, Blake, aaaand...**_**"**

"Over-reliance on Yang will be her downfall." Raven said, mainly to Summer.

"They are sisters, they can rely on each other." Summer said back.

"Half-sisters. There is a difference." Raven counter with narrowed eyes.

"They view each other as true full-blooded sisters. Even if they have different mothers they are family." Tai was the one to speak up this time.

Summer and Raven looked at him. "Fine, whatever. I will not have you corrupting my child with nonsense, got it?" Raven said, her eyes scanning to both Tai and Summer.

"She's my daughter too, Raven." Tai said. "You can't just hog her all to yourself."

"Watch me." She said dangerously.

"Okay! Enough all of you, jeez if that's what it's going to be like when you have kids I might just leave right now!" Qrow said, annoyed by the situation at hand.

**Time seems to slow down as Ruby skids to a halt in front of Weiss as she is turning to face her. She stops just in time for their eyes to meet and a pregnant pause follows. This ends when Weiss turns on her heel and walks the other way.**

"Shit, I knew it. Ruby was going to be paired up with Schnee. What the hell was Ozpin thinking?!" Qrow's hands went to his hair as he slightly pulled on his black hair.

**Ruby reached out to the white haired girl. "Wait! Where are you going?! We're supposed to be teammates..." She kicked the ground with a small ****sigh.**

"That's not nice." Summer said, frowning at Weiss' actions towards Ruby.

**Weiss is seen struggling through the forest, giving an occasional grunt or "Ow!" as she pushes plants out of her way. She brushes herself off and sighs in relief when she hears a voice above her.**

"Serves you right, Schnee." Qrow said angrily.

Raven was also pleased at what was befalling the Schnee girl. "Are you sure you aren't there to just cause shit to happen to the schnee girl, Qrow?" Raven asked.

Qrow froze and then quickly stood and stumbled away from his sister with wide eyes. Why the hell would she mention his Semblance in front of the others?! They hadn't even told Summer and Tai the truth behind his Semblance, they didn't even know if he _had _one. Now Raven was blurting it out like that?

No! Of course I'm not there!" Qrow said defensively.

Raven put her hands up in a surrender-like gesture but he knew what that meant.

"Alright, I'm just saying. I could be fun messing with the brat like that, don't you think?" She grinned at him, purposefully trying to make him uncomfortable.

"Screw you, Raven." His eyes narrow into slits, as he spat out the curse. Raven, of course, just laughs at him. He growled at her and sat as far as he could from her and the others.

**Jaune struggled to free himself from the weapon sticking him into the large tree. "Come on, come on! Stupid...!"**

"How the hell did this kid even get in?" Tai shook his head.

"He's likely going to get killed sooner rather than later." Raven said.

**Weiss sees Jaune hanging a few feet in the air by the spear embedded in his hood and the tree behind him. As he gives up trying to pull it out, he looks down and sees Weiss, giving an embarrassed wave. Weiss simply heads back in the direction she came from and Jaune groans in dejection.**

"**By no means does this make us friends." Weiss said.**

"At least Weiss came back for Ruby. That's good." Summer said.

"One good deed can't erase the bad a person has done." Ghira said.

"And what, could a teenage girl exactly do that is so bad?" Summer asked the large Faunus.

"Many things. Especially as she has an enormous amount of money. If she wanted, she could have Blake or Ruby kicked out of Beacon with the influence her father, no doubt has accumulated over the years." Ghira said.

"Why would she be able to get Ruby and Blake kicked out?" Tai asked.

"Blake is a Faunus; she could get her kicked out or expelled for not wanting a Faunus on her team or get her arrested for what she has done with the White Fang, claiming it to be Blake was threatening her. As for you daughter, Ms. Rose, since she got in under special circumstances Weiss could claim favoritism and that would be a direct breach of a student-teacher relationship." Ghira informed the two of them.

"**You came back!" Ruby yelled, overjoyed at her partner coming back for her.**

"**Wait! Come back! Who's going to get me down from here?!" Jaune asked frantically.**

**"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked from below him. Jaune looked down to see the red haired champion. "Do you... have any spots left on your team?"**

"Pyrrha will. At least the kid as some sort of guardian watching out for him." Qorw stated.

**Jaune gave out a huff. "Very funny..."**

**The scene changes to Weiss trudging through the forest, with Ruby back a ways behind her.**

"**What's the hurry?" Ruby asked.**

"**I will not let my mission be delayed because you're too slow! I swear, if I get a bad grade because of your— What the...?" Weiss asked, surprised to see Ruby next to her and gone the next second.**

"Ruby's Semblance, I forgot about that." Kali said.

"It's a type of speed Semblance." Raven said.

"How would you know?" Tai asked his teammate.

"I've encountered and fought users that had speed Semblances." Raven said. The others looked to Qrow and he just shrugged.

"It's true, we have."

"**I'm not slow, see? You don't have to worry about me!" Ruby said with enthusiasm.**

**Weiss looked slightly amazed at the younger girl. "When did...?"**

"Ha! So she is better than you at something!" Summer gloated to the younger Schnee girl. Qrow's lips twitched slightly as Summer gloated to the TV version of the Schnee girl.

"**Weiss, just because I don't exactly know how to deal with people doesn't mean I don't know how to deal with monsters! You're about to see a whole different side of me today, Weiss, and after it's all over, you're going to be like, "Wow! That Ruby girl is really; really cool… and I wanna be her friend!" The red-cloaked girl said in excitement.**

Everyone besides Raven smiled and laughed at that.

**Ruby disappears in a shower of rose petals, which Weiss waves away from her face just as she hears crackling and rustling in the bushes around her.**

"Where is she…" Summer asked confused.

"**You may be fast, but you still excel at wasting time!" Weiss expected an answer immediately but got silence. "Ruby? Ruby...?" She called out again, this time, fearful of the red eyes watching her.**

**The camera revolves around Weiss, as multiple pairs of red eyes stare at her from the bushes and a deep growl is heard. She turns around until she spots a large, jagged Beowolf emerging from a bush and approaching her.**

"Crap!" Tai, Ghira and Summer jumped in shock. Kali shrieked, surprised at the Grimm attacking. Qrow and Raven weren't affected by the Grimm attacking the Schnee girl or Ruby's disappearance.

**Weiss: "Ruby!" Weiss screamed.**

**The Beowolf roars as the scene goes black.**

"What?! No! We need to find out what happened! Where Ruby went? If Weiss is going to be okay!" Summer yelled, flailing her arms about.

"Weiss Schnee doesn't deserve to die such a cruel and gruesome death at the hands of the Grimm in a forest in another kingdom than her own." Kali said, defending Weiss same as Summer.

"Let's continue then. That way we can find out what happened." Raven said with an eye roll. But then her eyes slid over to her brother. "Oh, and Qrow…" Don't think I forgot about you." She smirked, giving him a vicious grin as he shuddered and went with his twin sister to the other room, not the room with all of the food but a large gym.

Raven didn't even give him time to draw his weapon before she attacked him mercilessly. After an hour long beating, Raven stopped and looked at her downed brother. "Why did you mention my Semblance like that in front of the others?" He asked, trying to get to his knees.

"I wanted to see your reaction if I had told them." Raven shrugged.

"You're fucking crazy. Why would you do that? If they find out what my Semblance is they would have Ozpin expel me for being a danger to everyone around me." Qrow ground out.

"Ozpin knows what your Semblance is, and hasn't kicked you out yet. Why do you think that is?" The elder Branwen asked.

"I don't know!" He hissed.

"Think about it, I'm sure you can figure it out if you think real hard." She gave him a patronizing smile and was about to walk out of the gym before Qrow called out to her.

"Wait!" Raven smirked fully showing her white teeth.

"Our strength, together we are almost unstoppable, whether it is Grimm or actual people, he knows he can't kick me out. We are too valuable for him to lose; together we can decimate anyone if we really wanted too, even the teachers at Beacon and some of the other schools, probably." Qrow answered.

"You're right. Come on, let's go back at keep watching, this is getting truly interesting even if we have no idea where any of us are yet." Raven said, pulling him up to his feet and had him sling his arm over her shoulders, supporting his weight on her.


	10. V1C6: The Emerald Forest

**Thank you to Jonas, nahte123456, Kage-kitsune9001, and OceanBlueSeaEyes for the reviews!**

**...**

**Nahte123456: Raven doesn't know that she will abandon her team, husband, and daughter. So yes, she has a say on how Yang is raised, if she does stay with Tai and Team STRQ.**

* * *

**The Emerald Forest**

**The opening ends to an overhead view of the Emerald Forest as the camera pans down into the misty underbrush, where Yang Xiao Long is walking and looking around.**

"It's, Yang. But where is Ruby?" Summer exclaimed frantically, wanting to know where her daughter was but was happy at knowing her step-daughter was alright for the time being in a _Grimm _infested forest.

**Yang called out to anyone who was around her. "Hello? Is anyone out there? Helloooo? I'm getting bored here! Is someone there? Ruby, is that you?" She asked as the bushes rustled.**

"That ain't Ruby, Yang. It's _Grimm _most likely." Qrow said.

"What will you do now, Yang?" Raven asked the TV version of her daughter.

**A low, inhuman growl is heard, and Yang's head rises up as she stares at the creature.**

"**Nope!" Yang yelled.**

"Be careful!" Tai yelled, grabbing Raven's hand and squeezing them hard. Raven gave a small wince at the pain but understood that Taiyang was fearful of what would happen to their daughter.

**Yang quickly rolls to the side as an Ursa charges out of the green. She gets up and activates her Ember Celica, staring at the monster before another Ursa runs out behind her. She leaps over it, and its companion runs at her again, only to get knocked back by a fiery punch. The other Ursa and Yang charge at each other and Yang manages to get under it and deliver several punches and a kick to send the creature back.**

"Oh thank the Gods!" Tai, Kali, and Summer shouted with nervous smiles.

"**You guys wouldn't happen to have seen a girl in a red hood, would you?" Yang asked the growling Ursai. "You could just say 'no'."**

**One of the Ursai stands on its legs and swipes at her twice, Yang barely dodging the attacks.**

**Yang laughed in the face of her enemies. "Geeeez, you two couldn't hit the broad side of a ba..."**

"Well, shit." Qrow said.

"And now we run like hell." Tai said, shivering. He thought about the last time Raven and one of the upperclassmen sparred with her and ripped a few strands of her hair. She went ballistic and completely pounded the poor guy into the arena floor. He had to be sent to the Vale Hospital and stay there for a clean two months because of the damage Raven dealt him.

"Oh no… well, this is going to end in a bloodbath." Summer said with a resigned sigh.

"Why do you say that?" Ghira asked.

"Do you remember what happened in Yang's trailer?" Taiyang asked.

"Of course… Ah, I see. She inherited Raven's temperament for her hair and the anger that comes with someone touching it." Ghira said, his face in a grimace.

"I kind of feel bad for those _Grimm _that have to go up against Yang like that." Kali muttered.

**Before she can complete her insult, a single strand of her golden hair falls in front of her face and lands on the forest floor.**

"Never mess with a Branwen woman's hair. You will not live long afterwards." Raven said matter-of-factly.

**Yang growls low in her throat. "You..." She closes her violet eyes, then opens them to reveal red**_**, **_**Yang then screams out, "You monster!" And charges.**

**An inferno surrounds Yang for a moment, and she rockets forward, unleashing a devastating combo of flaming hits and blows on the offending Ursa, making it fly through several burning trees. The other monster runs over, but stops short at Yang's gaze while a tree falls to the ground behind her.**

"And they're dead." Raven showed off a large full-toothed smile as her red eyes took in the scene of her daughter completely destroying the _Grimm._

**Yang: What! You want some, too?!**

**The Ursa rears up and prepares to strike... right when a whirling noise is heard and the monster makes a befuddled noise, falling down a second later to reveal Blake Belladonna with her Gambol Shroud in the beast's back.**

"Blake!" Kali and Ghira say in happy surprise.

"It seems our daughters will be partners." Ghira says, looking to Raven.

She nods and then turned to face the two Faunus. "Your daughter is strong, I can already tell. However, something is holding her back. I fear it will cause a rift to grow between Yang and Blake, or worse, the entire team when they are no doubt teamed up together by Ozpin." Raven said to the two Feline Faunus.

**Yang pants in exhaustion while Blake recalls the weapon back to her hand, sheathing it on her back and smiling to the side (or the audience, if she broke the fourth wall). Yang, now purple-eyed again, speaks to her new partner over the smoking remains of the monster.**

**"I could've taken him." She said to her partner.**

"Yes, you could. However don't get cocky, if you do a stronger enemy will have their way with you and take pleasure in destroying you for your arrogance." Raven said to her daughter, even though she knew she can't be heard by the blonde teenager.

"That arrogance will get her killed one day, or worse." Qrow said. Raven nods, agreeing with her brother.

"What could be worse than death?" Kali asked the two Branwens.

"Hatred. Guilt. Self-loathing." Qrow responded. Kali, Ghira, Taiyang, and Summer all look at him as his head was bowed, not looking at anyone, just down at the floor. Raven also was looking down, her eyes closed. Raven was trembling slightly, the only one that noticed was Qrow and he put a hand on her knee to steady her.

"We're okay. We are alive. We are with friends, with our future family." Raven whispered like a mantra. The others didn't know if it was to reassure them, Raven, Qrow or both Branwens.

* * *

**The scene suddenly changes to Weiss Schnee's predicament from the end of 'The First Step, Pt.2', deflecting the swipe from a **_**Beowolf**_** with her Myrtenaster and getting pushed back into the middle of the beastly circle. She holds out her sword as she goes through her dueling motions and practices.**

"Weiss! Where is Ruby?" Summer immediately questioned.

"Sum, Ruby is strong. Don't worry; she'll come in any moment now." Taiyang assured his future second wife.

**Weiss repeated what all of her combat instructors have taught her. "**_**Remember your training, Weiss. Head up, shoulders back, right foot forward — not that forward! — slow your breathing, wait for the right time to strike, and...**_**" She brings her rapier up, the revolver spinning. "**_**Now!" **_**She thought.**

"Keep thinking with that stagnant mindset will get you and your team kill when you're on a real job." Qrow said.

"True, if that continues she could jeopardize the entire job for her way of thinking." Tai said.

"But that's how she was trained; you can't fault her for that." Summer defended her.

"Maybe not, but if she can't adjust to the battlefield then she will get killed sooner rather than later." Raven said to her team leader.

**Weiss dashes forward with her loaded weapon at the **_**Beowolf**_** in front of her, just when Ruby suddenly appears between the two in a blur of rose petals and a swipe of her Crescent Rose scythe, landing a hit on the monster.**

"Ruby!" Tai and Summer shout together, happy to see their daughter unharmed.

"**Gotcha!" Ruby smirked as she appeared.**

**Weiss widens her eyes and screams as she quickly has to stop, swinging the sword in a random direction and creating a line of fire that sets a nearby tree ablaze, followed quickly by the rest of the forest around the clearing.**

**Ruby, distracted by Weiss' mess-up, is barely defended when the same **_**Beowolf**_** scratches at her weapon, knocking the younger girl into the heiress.**

"**Hey, watch it!" Ruby shouted.**

"**Excuse me! You attacked out of turn! I could have killed you!" Weiss shouted back at her partner.**

"It'll take more than that to kill a Rose!" Summer shouted, actually getting pissed off at this girl for underestimating her daughter.

"**You'll have to try a lot harder than **_**that**_**..." The black-and-red haired girl muttered angrily.**

"Damn right, she will. You tell her, Ruby!" Qrow said with a smirk on his face.

**The duo wields their arms as the pack of Beowolves whine and growl around them. Ruby reloads her scythe just as a flaming tree falls near them.**

**Weiss grabs Ruby's arm and shouts, "We have to **_**go**_**!"**

**She leads Ruby out of the blaze as it engulfs the grass and sets the Grimm to running back the way they came or suffering in the fire.**

"I swear! This girl is going to get all of them _killed_!" Qrow yelled in frustration at the Schnee.

"She needs to fix that attitude complex she has or it will spell disaster for them all." Ghira contributes to berating Weiss Schnee.

**Ruby and Weiss stop a safe ways from the smoke and flames. Weiss leans over and pants as Ruby looks behind her.**

"**What was **_**that**_**?! That should've been easy!" Ruby asked, turning to face the white haired teen.**

"**Well perhaps if you had exercised even the **_**slightest**_** amount of caution with the placement of your strikes, I wouldn't have set the forest on fire!" Weiss yelled back.**

"Bitch, please! That was all your fault." Taiyang swore, he was pissed.

"Give her a break! She's a damn prodigy and is two years younger than you! She's allowed to make mistakes!" Kali says.

**Ruby scoffed, "What's that supposed to mean?"**

"**I'm just surprised someone who talks so **_**much**_** would communicate so **_**little**_** during an encounter!"**

"When I'm through with you…" Qrow growled, his Semblance activating with his heightened anger.

Raven tried to get his Semblance under control but it pushed her back into the wall, _hard_. She still didn't give up on trying to get her brother to calm down. "Brother, peace!" She shouted at him, with a slightly fearful expression.

"**Well, I'm sorry you need my help to win a fight. I'm just **_**fine**_** on my own!" Ruby said.**

"**Well, congratulations on being the strongest **_**child**_** to sneak your way into Beacon. Bravo!" Weiss says with a sneer.**

"You both are children!" The two Faunus yell. Both are angry at the treatment that Ruby is receiving.

"Maybe you should have just stayed in Atlas, you stuck-up piece of shit!" Tai cursed again.

**Weiss begins to walk off on her partner yet again. Ruby, with an agitated shriek, unfolds Crescent Rose, slices a tree down to the stump, refolds it back, and follows her partner as the tree crashes behind her. Neither notices the large dark feather floating onto the fallen trunk behind them.**

"_Shit_! That's a _Nevermore_." Summer says, suddenly concerned for the two girls.

* * *

**Meanwhile across the Forest, Pyrrha Nikos, armed with Miló and Akoúo̱, and Jaune Arc are making their way through the bushes. Jaune hears a noise far away and turns his head.**

"Oh good! We have these two to watch now! No more in-fighting." Kali said happily. Wanting to see some other good partnerships, like Blake and Yang, Jaune and Pyrrha, and Ren and Nora.

"**Did you hear that?" Jaune asked his partner, turning to the sounds he could hear.**

"**Gunfire. It seems some of our comrades have encountered the enemy." Pyrrha commented.**

**They keep moving forward, Jaune still staring in the sound's direction as Pyrrha raises a branch to pass by and accidentally releases it right at Jaune's face, flooring him instantly.**

**Pyrrha looked behind her, "Jaune! I'm sorry!"**

'_Does he not have Aura?' _Raven and Qrow think together.

**Jaune laughed at his small injury, "It's okay. Just a scratch!" Pyrrha approached him to help him up.**

"**Why didn't you activate your Aura?" The pink-redhead asked with a frown.**

"**Huh?" He asked, clueless.**

'_So I was right. He doesn't have Aura. Or maybe… he doesn't know how to use it? If that's the case then…' _Raven's eyes widen in realization, she knows Qrow is also on the same path of thinking as her.

"Well, this just got more interesting. Wonder how he will get through this without being found out?" Qrow muttered. The others not able to hear him except Kali and Ghira. And they both didn't have a clue at what Qrow was referring to.

"**Your Aura." She quickly told him.**

"**Gesundheit." He said, thinking that she sneezed.**

'_This kid is going to get killed. What the hell was he even thinking, applying to Beacon?' _Qrow thought.

"**Jaune, do you... know what Aura is?" Pyrrha asked her partner slowly.**

Summer, Taiyang, Kali and Ghira all have their eyes wide open with the realization that Jaune doesn't know what Aura is, or how to control it.

**Jaune tries to wave off the question. "Psch! Of course I do! Do **_**you**_** know what Aura is?"**

"_Holy shit_. How in the world did he get accepted into Beacon _without_ knowing what Aura is?!" Tai shouted in shock.

"He didn't, he faked his way in." Qrow said in an instant.

"How do you know that he faked his way in?" Kali asked.

"Ozpin is a smart, sadistic mastermind. He let this kid in to his school for a reason. So he knows something about the kid to let him stay even with forged transcripts." Qrow said.

"He forged his way… but how? Goodwitch is the one that handles the applications of all of the incoming students." Summer exclaimed.

"She doesn't do the ones that Ozpin keeps in his desk drawer. Those are for his eyes only." Qrow replied back.

"How would…" Ghira eyed Qrow in suspicion.

Qrow's hands were balled into fists. "Because he has _mine_." He said with a dark scowl on his face.

"Why would Professor Ozpin have your file?" Summer asked.

"Because of who I am, who Raven and I are." Qrow said.

"And who are the two of you?" Ghira asked, looking between the two siblings.

The two siblings look at each other. "It's your choice. This wouldn't stay secret for long and they deserve to know about who we are." Raven said, a hand on her brother's shoulder.

Qrow looked at each person and Faunus in the room in the eyes. His eyes then found his sister's. "Raven and I are from a bandit tribe, the Branwen Tribe. After the death of the chieftain Raven will take over. But more than that, because of what my Semblance is."

"You're bandits?" Taiyang asked.

Raven nodded and spoke up, "Yes, Tai. We are bandits. I will be the new leader once the current chief dies." Raven admits this to the man who will one day be the father of the daughter they are all watching on the TV screen in the future.

"What is your Semblance, Qrow?" Summer asked her teammate and partner.

"Do you remember when we were paired up during initiation and we encountered that Ursa Major? How you tripped over your cloak and almost got beheaded?" Qrow asked the white-cloaked young woman.

"Yeah… why does that matter?" Summer asked hesitantly.

"My Semblance did that. It made you fall over and almost die." Qrow said, his head down and his eyes on the floor.

"What do you mean, Qrow?" Taiyang asked.

"My Semblance is always active; it's a passive Semblance that I can't control." The others in the room gap at the black haired male hunter.

"That's impossible! How can a Semblance be always active? And what do you mean passive? There is no such thing." Ghira said.

"My semblance is one I've had since birth. It's the reason my name is Qrow. I… I killed our mother when I was born. My Semblance made our mother sick when she was pregnant with Raven and I. However, when I was born my Semblance fully activated, and killed our mother. So our father, cruel as he was named me Qrow. A harbinger of death and bad luck. That's my Semblance, bad luck, misfortune. And there's nothing I can do to control it, it hurts me but also my comrades and enemies." Qrow tells them, his body and voice devoid of emotion and limp.

Summer and Taiyang can't believe what they are hearing. How can they? Their friend has been suffering since he was _born_.

Kali and Ghira were shocked at this revelation about the Branwen male.

After that no one talks, no one can. They all continue watching the rest of the episode in silence. Raven and Qrow sitting far away from all of the others.

**Pyrrha smiles at him and gets ready to explain as the scene changes to Lie Ren's trek through the forest's tall grass.**

**Pyrrha says off-screen, "Aura is the manifestation of our soul. It bears our burdens and shields our hearts. Have you ever felt you were being watched without knowing that someone was there?"**

**Jaune replies off-screen, "Uh... yeah."**

_**Ren stops and narrows his eyes, looking around him while a huge black Grimm serpent rises up from the grass behind him and quickly surrounds him with its large, hissing body. Ren adopts a fighting stance as the snake coils together in front of him and attacks with its long fangs.**_

**Pyrrha walked around Jaune, "With practice, our Aura can be our shield. Everyone has it, even animals."**

**Jaune asked, "What about monsters?"**

"**No." Pyrrha says. The scene **_**switched back to Ren as he leaps out of the way, the snake's mouth hitting the ground and instantly coming up again to hit a jumping Ren back with its snout**_**. "The monsters we fight lack a soul. They are creatures of Grimm, the manifestation of anonymity." **_**Ren lands in a crouch when the serpent encircles him again, and he unleashes his Storm Flower before jumping up and firing at the creature**_**. "They are the darkness, and we are the light."**

**Jaune said off-screen, **_**as Ren kicks the snake's snout and slashes at its head**_**. "Right, that's why we fight them!"**

**Pyrrha replies to him off-screen as well, "It's not about why; it's about knowing." **_**The snake flows around Ren and tries to bite him again, but he flips over it and drives his weapons into its head, pausing a moment without sensing the serpent's white head behind him**_**. "Understanding dark and light helps us manifest our Aura. Everyone has some of both."**

_**Ren turns and looks up at the white head as it launches itself at him, dodging it and landing just in time to see the head slither towards him. As it gets closer, he runs at it and leaps onto the black head, sliding over its body and blasting the other head.**_

**Pyrrha says off-screen, "By baring your soul outward as a force, you can deflect harm. All of our tools and equipment are conduits for Aura. You protect yourself and your soul when fighting." **_**Ren is unprepared for the white half to hit him with its head, knocking him off as he drops his weapons, and leaving him to merely raise his arms and distantly cry "No!" to the mouth of the black head**_**.**

**Jaune opens his eyes, "It's like a force field!"**

**Pyrrha gives a small smile, "Yes, if you want to look at it that way."**

_**Ren is now holding the front fangs of the colossal snake in his hands, glowing a faint, pulsating pink as he grips the teeth and yanks them from the monster's mouth, causing it to flail away. It attempts to bite him again, but Ren spins to the side and stabs a fang into its eye, rotating his arm to deliver a final blow that drives the makeshift weapon into its skull, which ripples, expands, and blows apart in a dark mess as its headless body falls over its fellow creature. Wasting no time, Ren runs right at the white head.**_

**Pyrrha walked up to Jaune and touched the side of his head. "Now, close your eyes and concentrate."**

**He closed his eyes, "Uhh... Okay."**

_**Pyrrha smiles and closes her own eyes, opening them as her skin glows and her irises shrink before shutting them again. The two stand there, now with Pyrrha glowing a faint red and Jaune a bright white.**_

**Pyrrha **_**mentally spoke,**_** "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death." **_**Placing a hand on his chest**_**, "I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee." **_**Pyrrha stops glowing red and hunches over in tiredness**_**.**

**Jaune was still glowing. "Pyrrha?"**

**Pyrrha got back up. "It's all right. I used my Aura to unlock yours, but the energy that protects you now is your own. You have a lot of it."**

**Jaune smiled, looking down at his hands. "Wow..."**

_**At the same time, Ren stands atop of the body of his enemy, sliding the weapons into his sleeves and brushing them off before a strange, animal-like noise is heard above him twice. He looks up and meets the upside-down eyes of Nora Valkyrie.**_

**Ren chuckles, "I still don't think that's what a sloth sounds like."**

**In response, Nora gives her friend a "Boop!" on the nose, causing him to smile and the scene cuts to black.**

"Well, at least Jaune now has his Aura unlocked." Summer whispered, still in shock about Qrow and Raven.

She looked to the others in the room and then grabbed the remote and closed down the current chapter-episode. She returned to the volume menu and then dropped the remote back on the small coffee table.

"I think we should all take some time and think about what we just watched and found out." Summer commanded. No one argued with her and went their separate ways for the time being. Summer and Tai went to the new hallway that had appeared for them. They opened one of the doors and saw that it was a small twin bedroom.

Kali and Ghira went into another bedroom to talk and rest for the time being.

Raven and Qrow went into another bedroom. Raven counted six bedrooms if the couples or teams wanted to sleep separately but she knew her brother needed her. Hell, they needed each other right now.

This wasn't the time to leave her younger brother alone in his inner turmoil. Even though they are twins, she was the only one that might be able to pull him out of his head. And if not…. She didn't really want to know what Qrow would do if he was stuck in his thoughts too long.

Qrow was just a shell right now, and it was Raven's job as his elder sister to help him, in any way she could.


	11. V1C7: The Emerald Forest Part 2

**Thank you to book lover reader, Jonas, SodiumxChloride, Guest 14, and Perseus12 for the reviews!**

**…**

**Perseus12: I am not adding anyone else; also please remember that this is 17-20 years before the main cast of Team RWBY comes in. I am also not making any OC's. So I will not give a name to Pyrrha's mom or any of Jaune's other sisters.**

* * *

**TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF ATTEMPTED SUCICIDE**

Ghira and Kali sat down together on the bed. The two Faunus didn't know what to say, so Kali started speaking first. "I think we should give Weiss a chance. She isn't her father, and it's not fair to Nicolas Schnee. He founded the Schnee Dust Company to help the world, what Jacques is doing now is twisting his ideas and dreams." Kali told her boyfriend.

"You're right, but all that he is doing, do you really think that Weiss can fix the damage he is doing?" Ghira asked her.

"I do. It will be hard and it will take time, but I do believe that she can help the world just as Nicolas envision. We should give her a chance. I truly believe that she wishes to help the world, not hinder it. Let her try, let her change. After everything is said and done, then cast your judgement on her, not before. Can you do that, Ghira?"

Ghira thumbed Kali's cheek and gave her a small kiss on her lips before smiling and saying, "Very well, Kali. I won't judge her for the mistakes of her father."

"That's all I ask." The two left their room and sat back down on the couch, waiting for the others.

**…**

"Summer, I think we should give Weiss a chance. Yes, she's a Schnee, but she certainly isn't the worst of them. That title goes to the girl's father, Jacques. More than that, since when are you just ready to condemn a person for crimes of another? That isn't you. I know you are protective of Ruby, I am too, but I don't think that Weiss is intentionally being mean or rude. It's just how she was raised. You can't fault her for that; no one can choose their family. I mean, just look at Raven and Qrow. They've been through hell and still here, standing by us, hoping that we stand by them, even with everything we've just learned about Qrow."

Summer sighed and paced around the small bedroom. "I know, I'm just nervous. I'm _dead_ Tai. In the future, I'm already dead. I don't see Ruby or Yang grow up, I leave you alone. I don't even want to think about what my death causes you, Raven or Qrow. But I have to, that is my reality. I'm just afraid that Ruby will end up like me, dead, with her family and friends grieving."

Summer's legs couldn't hold her up anymore and she fell to the carpeted floor sobbing into her hands. Taiyang rushed to her and held her close, letting her cry and get all of her emotions out. He was also crying at the realization that both Summer and Raven would be gone, and that neither of them would see Ruby or Yang grow into amazing, beautiful women.

"Summer, I promise you, we will do everything possible to make sure that you don't die and that you see the girls grow up. I swear to you, Summer Rose." Taiyang said in a heavy voice, making Summer nod slowly but accept his declaration.

Summer went to the bathroom to wash her face and the two members of Team STRQ went back to the living room where they were watching their future. Seeing that Kali and Ghira were already there they waited for the two Branwens to come out and keep watching with them.

**…**

Raven was saddened by the fact that her brother didn't believe her or their team. The female closed her eyes and looked to her pacing brother, who was also pulling out small tufts of his hair.

"I can't do this! They will never trust me! I need to get out of here! I'm a danger to everyone and everything!" He yelled.

"Qrow!" Raven was reaching the point of no return with her brother, she knew that. She knew when this happened the first time the only thing that got him back to her and not attempting to try and take his own life was a through beat down from her. But now, she didn't know how to help him, beating him up won't work.

"Snap out of it! Qrow, Summer and Tai are _not_ going to take Yang or Ruby away from you! You are their uncle, you are family! More than that, I won't let them! Come out of your head! Ruby is not your daughter; we have already established that, you don't have to worry about that. If you want a family of your own, then I will always support you and be happy for you. You don't have to give up your own happiness. We don't know what happened to summer or myself, so don't you go blaming yourself for Summer's death and my disappearance. We will find out what happened to both of us later on, I guarantee that. So, _please_….. Come back to me!" Raven cried, hugging her brother tightly to make sure he knew how much she loved him.

Qrow was her twin, but he was also her younger brother. She had to look out for him. And she always did, no matter the circumstance she would always protect her brother, and now her family, without hesitation.

Qrow broke down as well, both twins weeping and comforting the other the best they could. After their tears dried up they went back to the living room to continue to watch their – and their children's' – future.

**The Emerald Forest Part 2**

The other four young adults didn't say anything when Qrow and Raven came back. They just started the episode in silence.

_**A view of Professor Ozpin watching the students on his Scroll at the Beacon Cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest when Glynda Goodwitch walks up behind him, holding her own tablet.**_

"**The last pair has been formed, sir." Glynda said. She **_**taps the screen to show the ending scene of 'The Emerald Forest'**_** "Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren. Poor boy... I can't possibly imagine those two getting along. Still, he's probably better off than Miss Nikos." **_**The video changes to Pyrrha and Jaune Arc's trek through the woods**_**.**

"Let's see if he survives." Raven said.

**Ozpin hummed. "Mmmm..."**

"**I don't care what his transcripts say. That Jaune fellow is not ready for this level of combat." The combat professor said to the headmaster. She **_**deactivates the tablet, walking back a little**_**. "I guess we'll find out soon enough. At their current pace, they should reach the temple within just a few minutes." She **_**turned back to Ozpin**_**. "Speaking of which, what did you use as relics this year?" He didn't answer her. "Professor Ozpin?"**

_**Ozpin doesn't answer, watching his tablet with a contemplating interest as it shows the footage of Ruby Rose sitting in the grass and picking stray leaves while her 'partner' Weiss Schnee walks in random directions.**_

"What the hell are you planning you crazy bastard?" Qrow muttered angrily. Not liking how Ruby got a free pass to Beacon and Ozpin's increasing interest in Ruby. _'Just like Summer. Why did he mention Ruby's eyes?'_ He thought, not liking this one bit.

* * *

**Weiss **_**walked to the right**_**. "It's definitely this way." Then she **_**stops and starts walking left**_**. "I mean... this way! It's **_**definitely**_** this way." S**_**topping in front of Ruby**_** she turned in a circle. "Alright, it's official: We passed it."**

"If you don't know the way, don't be a know-it-all." Qrow said.

"Hey, calm down. We all agreed to give Weiss a chance." Summer said to her teammate.

"You guys might have but-" Qrow said but was interrupted by his sister.

"Qrow. She is not responsible for her father's crimes. The sins of the father are not the sins of the child." Raven said.

Qrow huffed and crossed his arms, "Fine."

**Ruby **_**stands up, slightly annoyed**_**. "Weiss, why can't you just admit that you have no idea where we're going?"**

"Admit it, princess, you are lost." Tai said.

"**Because I know **_**exactly**_** where we're going! We're going... to... the forest temple!"**

"How stupid can she be?" Qrow asked the others.

"She needs to learn to rely on others, not just herself or thinking that she knows everything when she doesn't." Ghira said. "Sooner or later, she will get someone injured or killed with her thinking."

**Ruby **_**sighs, frustrated**_**.**

"**Oh, stop it! You don't know where we are, either!" Weiss yelled at her partner.**

**Ruby: Well, at least I'm not pretending like I know everything.**

"Thank you, Ruby!" Summer exclaimed, happy that her daughter is standing her ground against the Schnee girl. Even though she and Tai agreed to give her a chance that didn't mean that Summer wouldn't say anything when she was trying to walk all over her daughter.

"**What is **_**that**_** supposed to mean?" Weiss asked.**

"**It means you're a big, stupid jerk and I hate you!" Ruby yelled.**

**Weiss **_**sighs to herself, spinning around and walking in another direction**_**. "Just keep moving!"**

**Ruby says **_**in a faux imitation of Weiss' voice**_**. "**_**Oh, just keep moving! Hurry up! Waaaah! Watch where you're going!" In her normal voice she asked, **__**"**_**Why are you so bossy?"**

**Weiss **_**turned back around to face Ruby**_**. "I'm not bossy! Don't say things like that!"**

"**Stop treating me like a kid!" Ruby said in a frustrated tone.**

"She's 15; she's two years younger than you. Ruby is allowed to act like a kid once in a while. And she's not right now; she's acting like a true huntress." Summer said with frustrated tears in her eyes.

"**Stop acting like a kid!" Weiss countered.**

"**Well, stop acting like you're perfect!" She spun to face her partner.**

"**I'm. Not. Perfect! Not yet... But I'm still leagues better than you." She **_**continues to walk away**_**.**

"Ruby's a damn prodigy! What are you? A spoiled little princess that thinks the word revolves around her!" Qrow yelled at the Schnee on the screen.

**Ruby says **_**dejectedly**_**, "You don't even know me..."**

* * *

_**From the forest, Yang Xiao Long and Blake Belladonna step out into a clearing that reveals the circular stone temple, broken and decrepit but for the platforms around its inside, holding several black and gold objects.**_

"Yang and Blake!" Kali and Summer said together, grinning sheepishly at the other young woman they smile at seeing their daughters. Or, step-daughter, in Summer and Yang's case. Ghira chuckled at watching his girlfriend and seeing how similar their daughter was to the Cat Faunus.

Raven raised an eyebrow in suspicion at the relics and Ozpin's plan. _'What the hell is going on? First Summer's girl gets a free pass into Beacon, then the clueless blond boy, and now my daughter. What are you planning you scheming bastard?'_ She didn't trust Ozpin, not as far as she could throw him.

She still didn't, whatever he was planning with their children… it felt like it might lead to a lot of death and destruction. Raven shivered at thinking back to that creepy female voice in the beginning, the one Ozpin was talking to. She had a feeling like that woman would cause a whole slew of problems for them in the future.

"**Think this is it?" Yang asked Blake.**

_**In response, Blake gives Yang an incredulous look and heads down the hill, her partner following. They walk across the floor and observe the items on each pedestal, now shown to be familiar shapes.**_

**Blake **_**looked at a black king, confused**_**. "Chess pieces?" She asked, not knowing why the headmaster would set up chess pieces for the relics.**

"**Some of them are missing. Looks like we weren't the first ones here." Yang pointed out.**

"Who could have gotten there first?" Kali asked.

Team STRQ didn't know how to answer her.

"**Well, I guess we should pick one." Blake said, approaching the circle of pillars.**

* * *

_**Jaune and Pyrrha are standing at the mouth of a dark cave, where drawings are seen to the side involving armed men against giant beasts.**_

"**Think this is it?" Jaune asked.**

_**The scene cuts to their walk inside the cave, Jaune holding a short, burning torch to light their way.**_

"This kid is an idiot. He is going to get them both killed sooner rather than later." Raven said, her hand on her face. She shook her head in wonder, _'What is Ozpin planning with this kid?'_

"**I'm not sure this is it." Pyrrha said, looking around the darkened cave.**

**Jaune **_**sighs**_**, "Pyrrha, I made the torch. Could you at least humor me for, like, five more feet?"**

Qrow and Taiyang both snorted with amusement.

_**Suddenly and completely unexpectedly, Jaune trips on the ground, and the torch flies into a small puddle, extinguishing the flame so the two are cast in darkness with only their eyes visible.**_

"Whelp! They're dead!" Qrow said, a grin on his face. He and Raven had matching creepy grins, wanting to see the carnage that was bound to follow with this botched attempt of getting to the abandoned temple.

"Guys?" Summer asked the two Branwens. Their grins were starting to creep her and the others out.

They turned to their team leader together and the grins on their faces got even scarier. If she was a lesser person Summer would have pissed herself with fright.

Ghira gulped nervously and held onto a shaking Kali.

_**Jaune gets up and grumbles**_**. "Do you... feel that?" Pyrrha asked him.**

"**Soul-crushing regret?" Jaune asked with a straight face.**

Everyone howled with laughter at his statement.

"My god! If being a huntsman doesn't work out, he could be a comedian!" Tai said, wiping his eyes from the tears of joy forming.

"**No, it's... **_**warm**_**." Pyrrha said.**

"Yeah, they're screwed!" Taiyang said.

"How will they get out of this one? They dug their own grave with being stupid and not following their instincts." Ghira said.

* * *

_**Back at the temple, Yang approaches one of the relics.**_

"**Hmmmm..." Yang hummed as she **_**studies the golden knight, then picks it up and shows it to Blake**_**. "How about a cute little pony?"**

Raven face-palmed. "How in the world are you my daughter?" Raven asked in a deadpan.

Tai chuckled low and slowly back away from the other female, but he was too slow. "You aren't going anywhere, Xaio Long." She grabbed the blond in a headlock.

Her other two teammates didn't do anything to help their blond teammate, or at least Qrow didn't. "That's our own fault, Tai."

Summer tried to help but one glare from Raven got her squealing and going to the other end of the couch, cowering behind Qrow.

"You sure that's a good idea, Sum? I mean, you know my Semblance." Qrow said to the silver-eyed young woman.

"Don't care, your sister is scary." Summer muttered out from her cloak, which was up around her.

"Very true." Qrow laughed as Summer pouted.

**Blake **_**smirked.**_** "Sure." **_**They walk towards each other to the center of the temple floor**_**.**

"**That wasn't too hard!" Yang boasted.**

"Don't get cocky." The two Branwens said at the same time.

"**Well, it's not like this place is very difficult to find." The two**_** share a smile**_**.**

"Of course not, you're a Faunus." Kali said proudly.

* * *

_**Jaune and Pyrrha continue onward through the cave until they see a large glowing point of gold right in front of them, illuminating Jaune's excited features.**_

"**That's the relic!" He shouts. **_**He slowly reaches out to grab it, but it moves away from his swipe**_**. "Hey! Bad... relic!" H**_**e tries to get it again, then jumps forward and hangs onto it as the object raises him above the ground**_**. "Gotcha!"**

"That ain't the relic, kid." Tai said.

"Oh dear." Summer said, worried about the boy. He was the first friend that Ruby had made at the school; she didn't want her to lose the boy so quickly after meeting him.

**Pyrrha was getting **_**worried**_**. "Jaune...?"**

_**Jaune's catch lowers itself so he is dangling right in front of the now-glowing red lines and eyes of a Death Stalker.**_

"Shit! How the hell are they going to defeat a Death Stalker?" Ghira and Kali exclaimed in shock.

"Just wait; I have a feeling that the others are going to help them." Raven said the Faunus pair.

* * *

_**Jaune's scream is heard all the way from the temple, where Yang turns towards the direction of its source.**_

"**Some girl's in trouble! Blake, did you hear that?" Yang asked her partner.**

The six young adults howled with laughter once again. "You go, Yang!" Summer said to her step-daughter.

"My god, Rae, your daughter is amzing!" Qrow told his sister. Said sister was smiling proudly at the blond teenager.

"Of course, what do you expect from my blood?" Raven replied. Tai smacked her on the back of the head.

"Oi, she's not just yours. She's my kid too." Tai said with a slight glare at the black haired woman.

_**Blake doesn't answer, staring at something in the sky.**_

"Why is she…" Kali started to ask her question but trailed off.

* * *

_**At the cave entrance, Pyrrha rushes out right before the monster crashes through the hole, roaring and waving its grass-encrusted claws as Jaune hangs from the stinger, calling from help and continuing to scream.**_

**Jaune sobbed, crying for help from the Mistral fighting champion. "Help! Whoa-ah-ah-ah-ah! Why?! Pyrrha! He-e-e-elp! Pyrrha, this is not the relic! It's not!" He **_**continues to cry and get shaken around**_**. "Do something!"**

**Pyrrha **_**wielded Miló in front of the creature**_**. "Jaune! Whatever you do, don't let-" **_**Before she can finish, the Grimm hurls its tail back and launches a still-screaming Jaune across the forest as she watches in dismay**_**. "... go." **_**She turns back to the scorpion as it continues to snap its claws at her, and she smiles embarrassingly before turning and rushing away in a burst of green leaves**_**.**

"I hope they make it alive. I don't want Ruby to lose her first friend." Summer said.

"I just want this to end. This is a horrible display at the next generation's skills." Raven said, appalled that this was the best Beacon had to offer in their future.

* * *

_**Blake is still staring at something above them, but Yang is focused on the forest.**_

"**Blake, did you hear that?" Yang **_**turns to her partner**_**. "What should we do?"**

_**Finally, the faint-but-growing-louder scream of "Heads uuuuuuuup!" is heard when Ruby falls from the sky and presumably crash lands to the ground.**_

"Wow." Kali said, shocked by that ending.

"Your daughter should not be alive, Summer. I don't get how she's even conscious after a fall like that." Raven said, in shock.

"She's special?" Summer responded.

"She's crazy, that's what she is." Ghira grunted, looking between the parents of Yang and Ruby.

"Let continue, I want to see how this all ends." Qrow said, grabbing the remote and immediately starting the next episode in the volume.


	12. V1C8: Players and Pieces

**Thank you to voidmarijo, SodiumxChloride, aceman88, Kage-kitsune9001, Guest, Jonas, Jazz, and OceanBlueSeaEyes for the reviews!**

**…**

**Voidmarijo: No this is not going to be a 'Qrow is Ruby's dad' fic.**

* * *

**Players and Pieces**

_**The sight of Weiss Schnee and Ruby Rose hanging on to something very feathery and very fast, as evidenced by the loud wind and the two being blown sideways.**_

"Oh my god. Ruby is crazy." Qrow said. "Not even I'm that suicidal to try and _ride _a Nevermore!"

"Ruby when you get done with initiation you are grounded!" Summer and Taiyang yelled.

Kali, Ghira, and Raven smirked at them acting like doting parents to the silver-eyed girl.

Qrow was indifferent, but he was also happy that Ruby wasn't his daughter. If she was… well, he really wouldn't know what to do. He was content with being her mentor and training her.

**Weiss had to **_**shout to be heard**_**. "Ruby! I told you this was a terrible idea!"**

**Ruby **_**also had to raise her voice**_**. "We're fine! Stop worrying!"**

"You're not fine!" Kali shouted in fear for the two girls. Ghira and Summer squeezed the Cat Faunus' hand to give her some comfort.

"**I am so far beyond worrying!" The Schnee yelled in anger.**

"**In a good way?" Ruby asked.**

"No! How can anyone be good in this situation?" Raven asked rhetorically. "I swear! How is this girl alive? She should have died 20 times over already!"

Summer and Taiyag flushed red at that, not knowing how to answer their daughter's crazy antics.

"Uh…" Tai laughed awkwardly, scratching his head as he watched.

"**In a bad way! In a very bad way!" Weiss answered.**

"**Well, why don't we just jump?" Ruby asked, trying and failing to shrug her shoulders.**

"WHAT?!" Everyone in the room screamed out in terror.

"Put this child into a padded room and throw away the key! That isn't right!" Ghira said to the two teammates of Team STRQ.

"Trust us…. We won't let this craziness slide. I have a feeling she gained more than Qrow scythe-wielding abilities." Tai muttered, glancing at said man.

"This is the future! I have no idea what happens!" He tries to say. Tai gave him a deadpan stare.

"I don't care, you are going to be able to train Ruby, but Summer, Raven and I are going to be watching the two of you like hawks so nothing like this ever happens again. Got it?" Taiyang said.

"**What are you? Insane?!" Weiss screeched in horror.**

"Yes!" Everyone agreed.

_**She is met with silence; Ruby has already disappeared.**_

"God no! RUBY!" Summer screamed, terrified for her young daughter. Summer started sobbing in fear as Kali, Ghira, and Tai tried to comfort her.

"Sum, Ruby and her team are the main characters we are watching, the show is named after them. Ruby won't die off this soon." Qrow said.

"That doesn't help my anxiety!" She yelled.

"Summer Rose, control yourself Ruby will be fine. Or do you not have faith in your daughter?" Raven asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I… Yes I do, but…."

"No buts. Your daughter is strong." Raven said in full confidence.

"**Oh, you insufferable little red-!"**

_**Down on the ground in the Abandoned Temple, Blake Belladonna is still staring skyward and pointing for Yang Xiao Long to look up after 'The **__**Emerald Forest, Pt.2'.**_

"**Blake, did you hear that? What should we do?" The blond asked.**

**Ruby was **_**falling right towards them, finally getting Yang's attention**_**. "Heads uuuuuuuup!" Ruby screamed.**

"Ruby! Oh… don't do that! Stop scaring your mother!" Summer shouted angrily at her daughter.

"She's alive and well. She is also a main character in this future." Raven said.

_**Just as she's about to hit the ground panicking, Jaune Arc comes flying through the air and crashes into Ruby, knocking her off course and sending them both into a tree to the left of where Blake and Yang are standing. Ruby is dazed by the rough landing.**_

"**Oohhhh... What **_**was**_** that?" Ruby asks as **_**the dizziness passes when she shakes her head**_**.**

"**Eh-hem!" Jaune grunted. **_**Ruby looks up to see Jaune hanging upside-down in a tree branch above her**_**. "Hey, Ruby..."**

"What the hell just happened?" Qrow asked.

No one answered him, Summer and Taiyang were flabbergasted at seeing Ruby fall from a flying Nevermore in the sky.

**Blake**_** looked up at the tree**_**. "Did your sister just fall from the sky?"**

Three members of Team STRQ face palmed. Summer grimaced.

"**I..." Yang couldn't answer.**

_**Before she can continue, several crashing noises are heard in the forest ahead of them, and an Ursa comes out, claws swiping, just as a pink blast of energy hits it in the back and it crashes to the ground, depositing its rider.**_

"Okay… what the _fuck_ is happening right now?!" the three males yelled. The females couldn't comprehend what they were watching.

Raven slowly turned to look at Summer and asked, "Is this real? Did that really just happen?"

"I have no idea." Summer said.

**{YES, ALL THAT THE SIX OF YOU ARE WATCHING ARE REAL EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE FUTURE.}**

Were the words that appeared on the paused screen, clearing up the utter confusion the six young adults were feeling right now.

"**YEEEE-HAAAAW!" Nora shouts in glee. She **_**rolls off of the creature's back, then gets up and groans, saddened**_**. "Awwww... It's broken." S**_**he dashes onto its neck and observes the carcass as Ren comes up behind her**_**.**

**Ren was **_**panting and leaning on the monster**_**. "Nora! Please... Don't ever do that again." **_**He looks up again and notices the pink dotted outline of where his partner should be that Nora has run off again, and looks around frantically**_**.**

**Nora, **_**now in the Temple, stared at a golden rook relic**_**. "Oooohh..." She **_**suddenly grabs it, an animation of stars and her hammer symbol playing in the pink background as she dances and sings with the chess piece**_**. "**_**I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!"**_

"That girl is crazy." Ghira deadpanned.

Everyone but Kali and Summer agreed with the Faunus man.

"She's not crazy…. Just…. Eccentric." Summer tried.

"Don't defend the crazy person, Summer! That girl is insane; I bet that if she had any caffeine she would be jumping off the walls or in a coma living her crazy backwards fantasies." Qrow said to his team leader.

"**Nora!" Ren shouted to his orange haired partner.**

**Nora **_**stops dancing with the rook on her head, then salutes, dropping the relic into her hand**_**. "Coming, Ren!" She **_**skips off to her friend**_**.**

"**Did that girl just ride in on an Ursa?" Blake asked rhetorically.**

"How is that poor boy keeping up with that girl?" Kali asked, shaking her head, thinking about Ren and his predicament with his best friend.

**Yang still couldn't answer since she was so shocked by the turn of events. "I..."**

_**She is interrupted once more as a screech is heard from their right, and Pyrrha Nikos comes onto the scene as the scorpion creature uproots entire trees in its chase after her. Pyrrha narrowly dodges its giant claws and keeps on running.**_

"**Jaune!" Pyrrha shouted to her partner.**

"**Pyrrha!" Jaune shouted.**

**Ruby **_**stood up, looking at the monster below**_**. "Whoa!" S**_**he starts running off of the branch and landing in a roll**_**.**

**Jaune **_**whined,**_** "Ruby!"**

**A**_**s Ruby stands up, back on the ground, Yang says,**_** "Ruby!"**

"**Yang!" Ruby shouts excitedly. As she **_**raises her arms as if to give her sister a hug**_**.**

**"Nora!" Nora shouted her names as she **_**comes between the two and knocking them off-balance in surprise**_**.**

"This girl…." Ghira shook his head in utter wonder at how this young orange haired girl could have such a bubbly and energetic personality in this situation.

"Okay, now that everyone is there, fight already! Don't just stand there!" Tai said to the eight teenagers, two of which being his own daughters.

"What will they do to defeat the Death Stalker and the Nevermore, I wonder?" Raven asked, staring at the TV screen, not wanting to miss anything.

_**The scorpion Grimm continues to follow Pyrrha as she runs.**_

"**Did she just run all the way here with a Death Stalker on her tail?" Blake tried to ask but was ignored.**

**Yang was **_**getting angrier by the second until she growls and erupts in a small burst of fire, eyes flashing red**_**. "I can't take it anymore! Can everyone just chill out for two seconds before something **_**crazy**_** happens again?!" The blonde growls out.**

"You! That is defiantly Raven's short temper!" Tai said to the mother of his future child.

Raven just hummed. "What else did Yang get from Rae?" Qrow asked, giving a glance to his sister.

"Future, don't know what the hell happens." Raven reminded the group once again.

_**The tick-tock of a clock counts down the two seconds of Yang cooling down, Ren running over to a ditzy Nora, and Blake and Ruby looking up.**_

"**Umm... Yang?" Ruby **_**tugs on her sister's sleeve and points**_**.**

_**Up above, Weiss is revealed to be hanging on a talon the size of her entire body that belongs to a gigantic Nevermore.**_

**Weiss **_**called down to Ruby**_**. "How could you leave me?!"**

**Ruby **_**shouted up at Weiss**_**. "I said 'jump!'"**

**Blake said, "She's gonna fall."**

"**She'll be fine." Ruby reassured the hidden Cat Faunus.**

**Ren deadpanned, "She's falling."**

_**Jaune is finally out of the tree, panting until he looks up and grins at the sight of Weiss falling through the air, giving him the opportunity to jump off the branch with arms outstretched and catch her in a slowed-down moment.**_

**Jaune **_**smiles at Weiss**_**. "Just... dropping in?"**

"That idiot. Doesn't he realize that he already has a beautiful girl wanting him, and the Schnee could care less?" Tai said, gesturing to Pyrrha.

"You said it, Taiyang. The boy is dense and clueless. Wonder how long it will take for him to realize that Pyrrha likes him." Kali said.

"When she's about to die, no doubt." Raven replied. Everyone but Qrow stares at the Branwen in horror.

"Why would you say that?!" Summer shouted at the other female of her team.

"It's the most likely scenario." Raven told the group.

_**Weiss is speechless... and Jaune realizes why when they both look down.**_

"**Oh, God." Jaune says fearfully. T**_**hey hang on to each other wide-eyed as their moment of suspension ends, their weapons flying behind them**_**. "Oh, noooooooo- Oomph!"**

_**Jaune does a face plant into the dirt, limbs splayed out, and serves as the perfect landing spot for Weiss as she falls into a seated position on his body.**_

**Weiss says **_**mockingly**_**. "My hero."**

**Jaune **_**groaned in pain, "**_**My back..."**

"So they survived." Raven said to herself, but the others heard her. They chose to collectively ignore the elder of the twins. Not wanting to bring down the mood even more.

_**The Death Stalker is still hunting Pyrrha, but she manages to land on her side at the feet of the heroes.**_

"**Great! The gang's all here! Now we can die together!" Yang said sarcastically.**

"Again, only from you." Qrow said.

"**Not if I can help it!" Ruby **_**sounds a battle cry and rushes towards the Grimm**_**.**

"Ruby, no!" Summer shouted in fear.

"Ruby!"

"She's going to get killed!" Ghira shouted, leaning to catch Kali as she fell forward, choking on her cries.

Summer was the same, she was full on sobbing at this point, seeing her daughter rush into danger like that.

"**Ruby, wait!" Yang shouted to her sister.**

_**Ruby, still screaming, fires Crescent Rose and charges at the oncoming Death Stalker. When the two meet, the Grimm swipes Ruby away and she is knocked back.**_

The group winced. "Let's see how skilled she really is." Raven said, crossing her arms over her chest. She did care about Summer and Taiyang's child, don't get her wrong, but…. She wanted to see the skills the younger girl had picked up from Qrow, since he was the only one that could teach her how to use a scythe.

**Ruby **_**got up slowly**_**. "D-Do-Don't worry! Totally fine!"**

_**Ruby turns back to the monster and shoots it in the skull, running away from it and sheathing her scythe as the Death Stalker now goes after her.**_

**Yang **_**ran forward**_**. "Ruby!"**

_**Ruby rushes towards Yang, but the Nevermore caws above them, flapping its wings and releasing lines of sharpened feathers with points that catch on Ruby's cape and prevent Yang from reaching her.**_

"No, no, no! Ruby, get the hell out of there!" Tai shouted, his hands balled up into fists. His knuckles white with fear.

Summer was sobbing, Qrow had to hold her down from jumping up and running straight for the TV.

**Yang shouted in fear. "Ruby, get out of there!"**

**Ruby **_**struggled with the cloak**_**. "I'm trying!"**

_**The Death Stalker approaches, raising its golden stinger above a scared Ruby and heading down on the helpless girl.**_

**Yang reac**_**hed out in vain**_**. "Ruby!"**

Qrow and Raven grimaced. Only Ghira turned away, holding onto Kali as she, Summer and Taiyang screamed.

_**A white blur races past Yang and reaches the stinger just as it's about to pierce her, cutting the scene to black.**_

"That God for Weiss Schnee!" Summer yelled up to the sky, even though they were indoors, or what was supposed to be indoors.

Tai gasped in relief and hailed Weiss Schnee a savior among saviors. "I will never doubt your abilities ever again, Schnee!" The blond said.

"Not bad, she has good reaction time." Raven commented.

"She just saved Ruby!" Qrow said to his sister.

"I know." She said. Qrow sighed at his sister's antics.

**Weiss said, "You are so childish!"**

_**Ruby opens her eyes to the sight of the stinger encased in ice and lowers her arms from their futile position over her head as she stares at her savior.**_

"**Weiss...?" Ruby asks uncertainly.**

**Weiss **_**continues to berate Ruby as she removes Myrtenaster from the ice**_**. "**_**And**_** dim-witted, **_**and**_** hyperactive, and don't even get me started on your fighting style. And I suppose I can be a bit... **_**difficult**_**... but if we're going to do this, we're going to have to do this together. So if **_**you**_** quit trying to show off, I'll be... **_**nicer**_**."**

"At least she is actually trying, can't say the same for anyone else." Qrow said, finally starting to see Weiss in a new light thanks to her saving his niece.

"**I'm not trying to show off. I want you to know I can do this." Ruby told her.**

"**You're fine." Weiss says as she **_**walks away**_**.**

**Ruby **_**breathes a sigh of relief, then closes her eyes and clasps her hands as she gratefully whispers:**_** "Normal knees..." S**_**he gets up and stares at the Death Stalker as it struggles to escape with its tail trapped in the ice**_**. "Whoa!" he whispers in awe at the white haired girl's power.**

_**Yang rushes up to Ruby and gives her a hug, which Ruby grunts at upon receiving.**_

"**So happy you're okay!" Yang says to her sister, **_**the two stare at each other for a moment, then look up at the Nevermore still flying overhead and roaring**_**.**

"**Guys? That thing's circling back! What are we gonna do?" Jaune said as they were all back together in a group.**

"**Look, there's no sense in dilly-dallying. Our objective is right in front of us." Weiss said logically. T**_**he heroes stare at the relics**_**.**

"Logically, Weiss is right. They have no reason to risk their lives anymore to kill the Grimm." Kali said.

"True, however, the Grimm will give them trouble. The Death Stalker and the Nevermore won't just let them escape." Ghira said.

"**She's right. Our mission is to grab an artifact and make it back to the Cliffs." Ruby **_**nods to Weiss**_**. "There's no point in fighting these things." Ruby agreed with her partner.**

"**Run and live - that's an idea I can get behind!" Jaune said.**

_**Ruby goes over and grabs a gold knight - identical to the one Yang picked out - and Jaune takes hold of a gold rook - similar to Nora and Ren's piece - , smiling at each other. The Death Stalker continues to fight its bonds, cracking the ice a little in the process.**_

"**Time we left!" Ren recommended.**

"**Right." Ruby **_**waves to the others**_**. "Let's go!" She **_**goes forward with everyone following except for a smiling Yang and Blake as the latter approaches her partner**_**.**

"Why is Yang just looking at Ruby?" Summer questioned.

"**What is it?" Blake asked her blonde partner.**

**Yang was **_**staring proudly at Ruby as she leaps on a boulder and motions the group onward**_**. "Nothing..." S**_**he moves on as Blake smiles in realization - possibly towards the audience - and leaves as well**_**.**

"Yang is proud of Ruby. She sees that her sister isn't always relying on her, and that she is a natural born leader." Raven says with pride, grinning to Summer. "You should be proud, she is slowly maturing. Sooner, rather than later, she will be a huntress you can be proud of."

"I have no doubt that we will see Ruby and the others grow into their own and continue to help each other and others that should need their services." Ghira said, proud as well, looking to Blake and her partner, who happened to be Yang.

* * *

_**An overhead shot shows that the group is heading out of the forest and into another abandoned series of structures as the Nevermore follows them from the air. They spread out when it passes above, concealing themselves behind some of the stone blocks with their allies as it perches on a high column and caws.**_

**Yang said in an **_**annoyed**_** voice, "Well, **_**that's**_** great!"**

_**Jaune looks behind at the Death Stalker bursting onto the scene.**_

"**Ah, man, run!" Jaune shouts. T**_**he group emerges from their hiding spots, causing the Nevermore to rise up into the air**_**.**

"Yelling when you are supposed to be hiding is counterproductive." Raven said.

"Yes, however, they no have to fight. Isn't that what you wanted?" Ghira questioned.

"Yes, I want to see their skills." Raven said.

**Ren shouts to his friend, "Nora, distract it!"**

_**Nora obliges, running out from her block and jumping through the feather projectiles before reaching behind her and launching several heart-topped shells from her grenade launcher, bursting into pink electricity when they hit the Nevermore and causing it to retreat. She is unaware of the Death Stalker rushing up behind her until Blake and Ren perform a cross-slash with their Gambol Shroud and StormFlower against its shell. Weiss lands next to Nora so she can create a jumping platform beneath them and leap to safety while Blake and Ren are now being chased.**_

"Impressive, they've only just gotten together and can read each other. They will make good teams with that skill." Summer says.

"Pretty good for new initiates." Qrow said.

"**Go, go!" Commands Jaune as she **_**stops running beside Jaune and gets out Miló, firing red shots alongside Ren's green blasts for a second until it reaches them and tries to swipe, prompting the group to run again**_**.**

_**The eight race over the ancient stone bridge, not noticing the Nevermore closing in on them until it uses its giant wings to shatter the path right in the middle, forcing Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Nora, and Jaune closer to the central collection of columns and leaving Blake, Ren, and Pyrrha on the other side with the Death Stalker. Ruby fires at the retreating Nevermore while Blake is beaten back by the scorpion.**_

**Jaune watched, **_**coming to the edge of the break in the bridge**_**. "Man, we gotta get over there! They need help!"**

**Nora **_**ran up beside him**_**. "Let's do this!" She said determinedly.**

**Jaune **_**looks down at the misty abyss**_**. "Yeah, but, uh... I can't make that jump."**

_**Nora smiles diabolically at him, laughing as she knocks him back, turns her weapon to its full-length hammer form, and jumps to the edge of the bridge.**_

"Again, that girl is crazy. Probably even crazier than Ruby." Qrow said.

The others agree, Nora was insane, in a hyper way - that makes it so that she never goes down until she's likely dead.

**Jaune, **_**seeing what she's about to do**_** screams, "Oh, wait!" T**_**oo late, she slams the hammer into the bridge and throws Jaune to the other side, yelling:**_** "No, no, no!"**

_**Nora places one foot on the hammer and fires it off the collapsing section of bridge, launching her to slam its face right in the center of the Death Stalker's skull. She fires it just as the stinger comes down to get her, and blasts back again to avoid its reach, accidentally knocking into Blake and making her fall from the edge. **_

"BLAKE!" Kali and Ghira scram out for their daughter. Fearful that she would die.

_**Blake sees the Nevermore above her and launches her whip so the gun's blade sinks into the edge of the bridge, circling around and leaping onto the aerial Grimm's back. She dashes all over its body, slashing the entire time, before jumping off and landing on the ruined platform at the top of the columns next to Ruby, then going over to Yang and Weiss.**_

"Hallelujah!" Kali yelled, overjoyed that her daughter was safe.

Ghira breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't get comfortable yet, the battle's just beginning." Qrow told them seriously. Watching his sister out of the corner of his eye.

"**It's tougher than it looks!" Blake tells the three other teenagers.**

**Yang was **_**readying her Ember Celica**_**. "Then let's hit it with everything we got!"**

_**The Nevermore approaching, Ruby, Blake, Weiss, and Yang set their weapons to fire a barrage of blasts at the bird, which it either dodges or takes harmlessly until it crashes through the columns and platform. The girls leap from one section of falling stone to the next until they reach the higher bridge on top, just below the cliffs.**_

"**None of this is working!" Weiss says.**

"Music. I hear music, it might be new." Tai said quickly. Kali and Tai got out the notepads they found and waited until they heard the lyrics of the new song.

**Ruby **_**watches Blake whip over to another section of the area and Yang firing round after flaming round at the Grimm**_**. "I have a plan! Cover me!" She tells the white haired heiress. S**_**he blasts away as Weiss raises her blade and heads into the fray**_**.**

_**Down below, the Death Stalker is still battling Jaune, Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha.**_

"**We gotta move!" Jaune tells the other three as **_**they all rush towards it**_**.**

_**The Death Stalker aims a claw at Pyrrha, but she deflects it with her Akoúo shield and slashes it with her blade. The scorpion recoils and swipes at her with its other claw, but Jaune is there to deflect it with his shield, knocking it back so Pyrrha can leap over and attack its face. Ren runs up firing and gets on the stinger when it tries to hit him, shooting at the base between it and the tail while Nora fires more grenades at the attacking claws. Pyrrha hurls her javelin straight into one of the monster's ten eyes, making it throw Ren to the side.**_

"That's gotta hurt." Tai winced.

**Nora shouts in fear for her best friend. "Ren!"**

_**Ren hits the side of a stone block hard and falls to the ground, not getting back up. Jaune, though, manages to stand and notice the stinger is hanging limply.**_

**Jaune shouts his own partner's name, "Pyrrha!"**

"**Done!" S**_**he raises the shield and hurls it like a discus, slicing the stinger off and causing it to fall into the Death Stalker's head as Pyrrha retrieves her rebounding shield**_**.**

"**Nora, nail it!" Jaune demands.**

"**Heads up!" The orange haired girl said. S**_**he jumps on Akoúo, Pyrrha leaps as Nora aims her blast down to give herself a maximum lift, and she smiles the entire way up before twirling down until her hammer slams its head into the stinger, driving the point through the Death Stalker's head and crushing the bridge beneath it**_**.**

_**Jaune and Pyrrha bound over the monster to the land behind it, and Nora fires up and away behind them as the monster falls to its doom. Jaune hits the ground on his back, Nora lands on her bottom, Pyrrha manages a crouched pose, and Ren simply walks over to them, panting and groaning until he just collapses. The other three get up and watch as the Nevermore is peppered with firepower.**_

"_**I couldn't take it, couldn't stand another minutes."**_

"_**Couldn't bear another day without you in it."**_

"_**All of the joy that I had known for all my life was stripped away from me the minute that you died."**_

The two start writing down the lyrics they could.

Summer, Tai, Kali, and Ghira all gasped in shock at what they were hearing. This song was Ruby's when Summer died. Summer and Tai started crying at that. Having to listen to their daughter sing about the horror of losing her mother at such a young age… no child should have to go through that.

_**Yang is still burning through her ammo on the beast, landing a blow at its face and causing it to head right towards her, but she leaps for its open maw and forces the beak wide as she attacks.**_

"_**To have you in my life was all I ever wanted."**_

"_**But now without you I'm a soul forever haunted."**_

"I'm so sorry, Ruby!" Summer cried.

"_**Can't help but feel that I had taken you for granted."**_

"_**No way in hell that I can ever comprehend this."**_

"No child should ever have to feel like that." Ghira said sadly.

**Yang **_**screamed and firing a round with each syllable**_**. "I! Hope! You're! Hung-! ...-gry!" S**_**he looks behind her and jumps back from its mouth onto a ruin, causing the creature to crash into the cliffs**_**.**

"_**I wasn't dreaming when they told me you were gone."**_

"She was there! She was there, oh god…." Taiyang cried as he thought about telling his daughter that her mother was dead.

"I don't want to ever do something like that." Tai said.

"I don't think any of us would want to." Raven said, looking at the still sobbing Summer Rose.

"_**I was wide awake and feeling that they had to be wrong."**_

"_**How could you leave me when you swore that you would stay?"**_

"I promised her that I would come back… I broke my promise to my little girl."

Raven and Qrow winced at hearing the words to the song and thought about Summer's eventual death in the future. If there was one thing that they would all be changing, it's that. No way in hell is Summer dying. Her team wouldn't let her!

_**Despite Yang's attempts, the Nevermore recovers quickly, and Yang smiles as she spots Ruby and Blake on the broken columns with Weiss rushing to the battle. Yang passes her while the Nevermore starts to fly back up, but Weiss hops over to the ruin it's lifting off of and freezes the tip of its feathery tail to the ground, leaving it stuck in the same spot despite its flapping. Weiss back-flips into a snowflake-circle jump and lands on the other side, running to the group.**_

"_**Now I'm trapped inside a nightmare every single f'ing day."**_

"_**It's like a movie but there's not a happy ending, every scene fades black and there's no pretending, this little fairy tale doesn't seem to end well, there's no knight in shining armor who will wake me from the spell."**_

"_**I know you didn't plan this, you tried to do what's right."**_

"You're right, Summer. You were always meant to come back. Something must have gone horribly wrong." Raven said.

"Well we are changing that, if that's the one thing that we are going to change, it's that. You aren't dying, we won't let you!" Tai said, as he held onto Summer tighter.

"Our daughters need both their mothers." Tai said, looking at Summer and Raven.

_**Blake fires the pistol portion of Gambol Shroud over to Yang, and the two tighten it between the columns so Ruby can jump on the center with Crescent Rose and bend it back into Weiss' black sigil, right next to the caster.**_

"_**But in the middle of this madness, I'm the one you left to win this fight."**_

**Weiss said, while looking at Ruby. "Of course **_**you**_** would come up with this idea."**

**Ruby asks, "Think you can make the shot?"**

**Weiss said in a **_**confident**_** voice, "Hmm! Can I?"**

_**A second passes.**_

**Ruby asks with a raised eyebrow, "Can't?"**

"**Of course I can!"**

_**Ruby looks forward and pumps Crescent Rose as Weiss turns the circle from black to red and releases Ruby at such a speed that the ground behind her launch cracks, rose petals flying from her ascent. With each new shot, she gets closer and closer to the trapped Grimm until her scythe catches the Nevermore's neck in its blade and causes them both to fall to the cliff wall. Weiss raises her sword and creates a series of white circles up the wall, which Ruby dashes through by firing the entire way up.**_

_**Yang, Blake, and an exhausted Weiss watch her climb up with the bird in her grasp until, both warrior and monster crying out, Ruby reaches the top **__**of the cliff, circles up, fires one last shot, and rends the Nevermore's head from its shoulders in a shower of petals.**_

_**She lands beside the severed head as the body of the giant Nevermore falls lifeless to the ruins and crevice below while the girls and, farther away, Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren watch in amazement.**_

"_**Red like roses fills my head with dreams and finds me, always closer to the emptiness and sadness that has come to take the place of you!"**_

**Jaune looked up in awe at the younger girl, "Wow..."**

_**Ruby, her cape and petals flowing with the wind, looks down to her friends as they peer up.**_

"**Well... That was a thing!" Yang said.**

_**Ruby continues to smile as the faint sounds of an audience clapping are heard, growing louder and louder as a familiar voice is heard.**_

"And now, the initiation is over." Raven commented.

"Let's see if the teams are what we think they are." Qrow said, the others nod.

* * *

**Ozpin introduced the first team. "Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark." T**_**he screen of the auditorium shows each of their profiles as the boys are lined up for the applauding audience to see as Ozpin continues**_**. "The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team CRDL, led by... Cardin Winchester!"**

_**The audience gives one more wave of ovation, while four students walk up to the stage to take their places in front of the headmaster as their faces fill the screen.**_

**Ozpin goes onto the next one, which happens to be Jaune's team. "Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR."**

"Knew it. They worked well together." Summer said, gaining a small smile on her face after she stopped crying.

Qrow, Summer, and Tai all fist bumped each other. Kali and Ghira were just happy that Jaune and the rest could be together.

Raven watched for her daughter.

_**Amid the clapping, Nora laughs and gives Ren a hug.**_

**Ozpin paused for dramatic effect. "Led by... Jaune Arc!"**

**Jaune's eyes widen in shock. "Huh? L-Led by...?"**

"He's a natural leader, just like Ruby. Even if he doesn't believe it yet." Raven praised.

**Ozpin nods his head to Jaune. "Congratulations, young man."**

_**A grinning Pyrrha offers a friendly shoulder bump to Jaune, but her 'fine leader' is knocked over and falls to his butt in front of the laughing audience.**_

**Ozpin finally gets to the last team, Ruby and Yang's. "And finally: Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long." He **_**motions over the four as they stand before him**_**. "The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWBY. Led by... Ruby Rose!"**

The six were shocked. Ruby was the leader? Why? Did it have to do with her silver eyes that Ozpin mentioned in the first episode that they saw? Team STRQ got worried for the youngest of the team, not knowing what will happen and what the effects would be.

_**Weiss looks to her right surprised, where Ruby is obviously in shock as Yang goes over to hug her sister.**_

"**I'm so proud of you!" Yang says, hugging her sister.**

**Ozpin gave a half smile and whispered, "It looks like things are shaping up to be an... interesting year."**

"That it?" Qrow asked.

"No, still a little bit left." Raven pointed out.

_**The camera pan over the auditorium's structure until it escapes into the open sky and shows the scattering crescent moon amid the day's clouds...**_

* * *

_**... before going into the night and seeing the moon through a window, providing a view to the outside for a shadowy room filled with shelves and a desk in the back, where Roman Torchwick is getting a call on his phone. The muffled conversation ends, and Roman angrily slams the phone down, sighing. He holds a cigar to his mouth and puts his symbolized lighter to the end, just as a man in a gray mask and black hood comes with a trolley. Roman holds out a collection of Lien, which he places on the table and the man takes.**_

"That's the man that Ruby went after in the first episode! Roman Torchwick!" Summer exclaimed.

"Who is that man with the mask?" Kali asked.

"A White Fang member! But… White Fang members don't wear… Grimm masks." Ghira said, incredibly worried about what is happening with the White Fang in the future.

"**Open it." Roman demands.**

_**The masked man does so with a crowbar, revealing a large amount of Dust crystals of varying colors - orange, blue, white, red, green, cyan, gold, yellow, and more. Roman picks up a blue gem in his hand and looks at the loot.**_

"Why the hell does he plan to do with all that Dust?" Qrow and Tai ask.

"We will just have to wait and see." Raven says.

"**We're gonna need more men..." Roman said to himself.**

_**The view zooms in on the map above the desk, showing Vale and various districts and areas of crossed-out locations, all leading into a specially-circled place – Beacon**_**.**

"Oh no, is he planning on attacking Beacon Academy?" Summer asked, looking to her other teammates.

"That would be suicide. Beacon is a damn fortress, and Ozpin wouldn't be stupid enough to let an attack happen and not do anything." Qrow said.

"Careful, brother. We have no idea what Ozpin is thinking or planning to do if the school does get attacked." Raven said.

"We should watch what happens next." Kali said, they all agreed.


	13. V1C9: The Badge and the Burden

**Thank you to SodiumxCholride, ObviousHUN, OceanBlueSeaEyes, Jazz, CommanderUnnamed, EmD23, and Jiggly Joe for the reviews!**

**…**

**EmD23: I know that the 'Qrow is Ruby's dad' thing got debunked. This is not a Qrow is Ruby's dad fic. Also, since we don't know much about team STRQ and only know small parts of their pasts or personalities I am going based off of that. Also… this is fanfiction. Stuff will be different.**

* * *

They all agreed to continue, they wouldn't stop until something really bad happened that they had to stop watching. No one knew what the future would hold. All six young adults vowed to make sure that Summer Rose lived, no matter what the mother of Ruby Rose would live.

"Do any of you need a break? What we just watched was pretty heavy." Qrow said, mainly talking to the two parents of Ruby.

"I… I don't know. I know that this next episode won't be so bad since they are just starting classes so I think I'll be okay." Summer said, wiping her eyes.

"Maybe you should clean up a bit. It wouldn't hurt to come back fresh faced." Kali said to the other woman.

Summer looked down at herself and then looked to her future husband and her team. "Yeah, I think you're right, Kali. Could you…" Summer's voice trailed off as she flushed a deep red.

"Of course, Summer." Kali smiled and got up. The Faunus woman helped the white-cloaked woman to Summer's bedroom.

Summer and Kali left for about fifth-teen minutes to get her all cleaned up from the last episode that they watched.

"So… how are we going to make sure Sum stays safe and alive? The person who brought s here did say in the note that our perspectives and stuff will change as we go on watching." Qrow said.

"We do what we can, Qrow. Like always." Raven told her brother.

"And what does that mean? Like always?" Ghira asked.

"We are bandits; we do what is necessary to complete our objective. Same goes for our Huntsmen missions. We will save Summer. I will not let my niece grow up without her mother. I will not let my daughter grow up without Summer around. Whatever happens in the future, in what we watch, we just need to keep that in mind. It's the future, we have no control over what we watch, but when we finish and go back… that is when we can changes things." Raven said.

Summer and Kali came back; Summer sits by Taiyang and holds his hand. Kali comes over to them and grabs Summer's other hand for support.

"Okay, are we all good now?" Raven asked. They all nod. Raven starts up the next episode.

**The Badge and the Burden**

_**The window overlooking Beacon Academy from the new room of Team RWBY, panning over to Weiss Schnee sleeping soundly in her bed. Her eyes flutter open and she stretches her arms above herself, yawning, while Ruby Rose, dressed in her strangely-colored school uniform, creeps up on her side and suddenly blows a whistle, causing Weiss to fall off the bed.**_

**"Good morning, team RWBY!" Ruby shouted to her team.**

All six laughed at Ruby's antics with her team

**Weiss fell to**_** the floor**_** when Ruby had yelled, surprised by the rude awakening. "What in the world is wrong with you?"**

**Ruby **_**ignored the question**_**. "Now that you're awake, we can officially begin our first order of business."**

"I bet I know." Tai smirked at Summer, thinking that mother and daughter would do the same thing.

"Oh man, I remember that morning. Raven and I were about to kill you Sum. That was the first and last time you tried to wake Rae up like that." Qrow laughed and smiled at the two females on his team.

"Well, you wanted to hurt her too. That was also the day that we learned to never underestimate Summer, remember what she did to us at our first combat practice?" Raven asked her brother. He groaned and held his face in his hands.

"Never bet against a Rose, it will be your ultimate doom." Qrow growled and shook his head.

**Weiss **_**brushed herself off**_**. "Excuse me?"**

**Yang was **_**holding a collection of objects. **_** "Decorating!"**

"Knew it! Those are my girls!" Tai said with a large happy grin. Raven rolled her eyes.

"If Yang gets any of your shitty humor I swear, I will take her in the middle of the night and never come back. Our daughter will not be learning any puns and bad jokes from you, Taiyang Xaio Long. Do you understand?" Raven said with a glare. Tai gulped and grimaced.

"Noted, no puns or bad jokes." Tai muttered. Raven smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good, glad we got that settled."

**Weiss shouted, "What?!"**

**Blake **_**lifted her suitcase**_**. "We still have to unpack." **_**The suitcase opens, spilling its contents**_**. "Aaaand clean."**

"How…" Qrow and Tai start to ask but never get the chance to.

"Cat, Blake is a Cat Faunus." Kali answered the two younger men.

"How did we get put on a team of idiots?" Raven asked her leader but then backtracked. "Never mind. I'm the only sane one on this team apparently."

_**Weiss does not look enthusiastic, especially when Ruby knocks her back again with the blow of her whistle.**_

**"Aaaalright! Weiss, Blake, Yang, and their fearless leader Ruby have begun their first mission!" Ruby **_**raises her fist into the air**_**. "Banzai!"**

**Ruby with Blake and Yang raise their fists together. "Banzai!" **_**They turn at an angle as Weiss lies on the floor and upbeat montage music starts playing**_**.**

"That… that's not right." Ghira said, very creeped out by how his daughter was acting.

"No, that's just too fast of a transition. No one can flip a switch and be a completely different person. That takes a whole lot of time for a person to change, whether good or bad." Kali said.

Team STRQ agreed with the two Faunus.

_**Yang places a poster of six guys in various poses named 'THE ARCHIEVE MEN' on her part of the room. Weiss positions the painting of the Forever Fall forest to perfection and walks away. Blake is busy putting away her books on the shelves, picking up a copy of Ninjas of Love and widening her eyes as she warily looks around before putting it back. Ruby positions Crescent Rose at an exact angle against the curtains so she can perfectly slash a diagonal portion off. A quick zoom around the room (and the repaired curtains) ends with the girls admiring their handiwork... with one problem. The beds are cramped together in the center of the floor.**_

"What the hell?" Tai asked. No one could answer him.

"That is a safety hazard." Summer said.

"They are crazy. All of them are insane." Kali whispered in shock.

**"This isn't going to work." Weiss said**

**"It is a bit cramped." Blake commented.**

"Ya think?" Tai asked. Both Faunus just sighed.

**Yang tapped a finder on her chin. "Maybe we should ditch some of our stuff..."**

**"Or we could ditch the beds... and replace them with bunk beds!" Ruby suggested excitedly.**

"Only your daughter." Raven said to Summer.

**"Umm, that sounds incredibly dangerous." Weiss inched away from Ruby.**

**"And super-**_**awesome**_**!" Yang said, her fist in the air.**

**"It **_**does**_** seem efficient." Blake said.**

"Maybe they aren't too far gone?" Ghira questioned his girlfriend.

"Don't know."

**"Well, we should put it to a vote!" Weiss said.**

"That's a Schnee for you." Qrow said.

"She is trying! Cut her some slack, Qrow. You can't expect a person to change so quickly. That's just not possible." Summer told her teammate.

**"I think we just did."**

"How did she not notice?" Summer asked.

"She wasn't paying attention to her team, only what she wanted." Ghira said.

_**To the sounds of two dings and a single buzz, Blake thumbs up the idea, Yang makes a double-rocker gesture, and Weiss angrily curls her fists at her side. Decided, they rush at the beds, where sounds of jackhammering and sawing are heard until they gather back at the front of the room.**_

**"Objective: Complete!"**

They all smiled and chuckled. "Only Ruby." Tai had a fond smile on his face.

_**While Weiss' bed is simply on the ground next to her art and luggage, Blake's bed is next to her books, which are used to raise Yang's bed over it by placing the novels on the posts, and Ruby's is hanging from ropes on the ceiling with a blanket used as a tent over it.**_

**"Allllright! Our second order of business iiiiiiiis...!" Ruby said. **_**The room spins until she lands on her bed and a book lands in her lap**_**. "Classes… Now, ****we have a few classes together today. At 9, we've got to be-"**

"Hey! Just like us! We were late our first day too." Qrow said.

"We don't know if they will be late, they a few minutes left." Kali said.

"You really think they could make it?" Raven asked her.

"I… They could." Kali said back to Raven.

**"**_**What?!**_** Did you say 9 o'clock?" Weiss shouted at the younger girl.**

**Ruby shifted away from Weiss. "Uuuum..."**

**"It's 8:55, you dunce!" Weiss said in anger.**

"You don't have to be rude and call her names." Summer pouted.

"Schnee's don't change." Qrow said.

"Yes they do! I know that Weiss will have a change of heart! Just you wait." Summer shouted at the scythe wielder. Qrow and the others were surprised at her words but didn't comment about her outburst.

_**Weiss is the first rushing out of the room and down the hall, the members of RWBY and JNPR peeking out from their doorways to look at her go.**_

**Ruby yells, "To class!"**

"Yes please! Learn and be good!" Tai said, hoping that even though his daughters couldn't hear him, they would heed his words.

_**Ruby runs out, followed by Yang, and Blake.**_

**"Class...?" Jaune asked, dazed.**

"Yes, class. The things you go to when you are still enrolled in a place called school." Ghira deadpanned to the blond boy.

_**Jaune loses his balance and ends up toppling Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren on top of him. He manages to get out from under them and start dashing.**_

**"We're gonna be late!" Jaune shouted.**

_**In the courtyard, Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch watch the two teams hurry through the school. Glynda looks at her watch, and Ozpin simply sips his coffee.**_

"Is it just me, or does it feel like Ozpin is always there when we least expect him?" Qrow asked.

"Yes. Something is off with Professor Ozpin." Raven said, narrowing her eyes, watching Ozpin.

"Maybe it has to do with him knowing that woman in the beginning." Summer said.

They all shivered, remembering that creepy female voice.

* * *

_**The sight of an axe-blunderbuss weapon pans down to the boards displaying various species of Grimm – King Taijitu, Death Stalker, Beowolf, Boarbatusk, **_Nevermore_**, and Ursa - behind an elderly teacher named Peter Port.**_

**"Monsters! **_**Deeeemons**_**... Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I merely refer to them as prey! Ha-ha!" Port said, laughing.**

"That's…. That Port! He got fatter!" Qrow said in astonishment.

"Didn't see that one coming." Tai said, crossing his arms over his chest, wondering what their friend would teach their children.

_**The members of RWBY, seated on the front row, are in varying stages of interest; Blake and Yang are sitting up and paying attention, Weiss is taking notes, and Ruby has her head propped in her hand as she takes a quick nap until she is woken back up by Port's bad joke, which receives a cricket-filled silence as a result.**_

"I hope Yang is actually learning and not faking." Tai said.

"What like you?" Raven glanced at Tai and her brother.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Tai whined. Raven gave him a deadpanned expression, not giving him an inch.

"Tai… man, don't get her mad. Stop while you can." Qrow said as his sister growled at him.

"Watch it." She hissed.

"Hey, I'm trying to _warn_ him!" Qrow yelped as Raven lunged to grab him. He dodged her, but it wasn't enough. He forgot her Semblance and got caught.

"I will not have my daughter flunking out of Beacon! Neither Yang nor Ruby will be failing any classes if I have any say in it. And I do! I am her mother." Raven said.

"And Summer is Ruby's." Ghira said. "You cannot decide something that has to do with another's child. Only if that child's parent approves, then you can do what you will." Ghira crossed his arms.

Raven huffed, let go of her brother and then sat back down on the couch, using both her brother and her future husband as leg rests.

**"Uhhhh... And you shall too, upon graduating from this prestigious academy! Now, as I was saying: Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are ****safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world! Our planet is absolutely **_**teeming**_** with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces! And that's where we come in. Huntsmen! Huntresses..." Here, Port gave Yang a wink. "Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves! From what, you ask? Why, the **_**very world**_**!"**

"Oh hell no! Get the FUCK away from my daughter you pervert!" Raven screamed and was about to throw herself at the TV.

"Leave our daughters alone, you creep!" Summer shivered in disgust.

"When we get back to Beacon I am KILLING Port! I don't care if this is in the future! I am killing that piece of shit!" Qrow growled low.

"He should be arrested! He's a teacher! That's horrible!" Kali gasped.

Ghira grimaced. "That's wrong, in so many ways." Everyone was creeped out and disgusted by the elderly teacher.

**"That is what you are training to become. But first: A story. A tale of a young, handsome man... Me! When I was a boy..." Port started reminiscing in his past.**

_**His words fade into the background (and a series of "blah"s) when Weiss notices Ruby is very focused on penciling the paper in front of her.**_

**"...Despite smelling of cabbages, my grandfather was a wise man. 'Peter', he told me..." Port was still telling his story.**

All six were still creeped out and disturbed so they didn't comment on anything he was saying.

_**The speech evolves into more "blah"s as Ruby chuckles at her creation and shows it to her teammates: a ball-with-limbs-and-a-head drawing of the teacher with stink lines coming from him and "Professor Poop" written underneath. Ruby blows a quick raspberry. Blake and Yang laugh, but Weiss looks annoyed.**_

**"Ah-heh-hem!" **_**He waits until he has their attention again**_**. "In the end, the Beowolf was no match for my **_**sheer**_** tenacity, and I returned to my village with the beast in captivity and my head held high, celebrated as a hero!"**

_**The teacher takes a bow as Weiss slowly gets more and more frustrated with Ruby's antics.**_

**"The moral of this story? A true Huntsman must be honorable!" Port said loudly.**

_**Ruby is balancing an apple on a book with her pencil held only by her finger while making a silly face.**_

**Port pounded his fist into his open hand. "A true Huntsman must be dependable!"**

_**Ruby has fallen asleep again in the first class of the year.**_

"Oh Ruby." Summer whispered. She knew the two Faunus heard her but didn't comment on her daughter.

**"A true Huntsman must be strategic, well-educated, and wise!" At this Port raised his arm in the air and pointed up.**

_**Ruby is not-so-subtly picking her nose, much to Weiss' building anger.**_

**"So, who among you believes themselves to be the **_**embodiment**_** of these **_**traits**_**?" He asked the class, finished with his stupid story.**

**Weiss was **_**still angry, and raises her hand**_**. "I do, sir!"**

**"Well, then, let's find out!" **_**Port turns to gesture at the glowing red eyes surrounded by shadow shaking the cage that traps it**_**. "Step forward, and face your opponent!"**

_**The unknown monster continues to growl as the scene cuts to black.**_

"What do you think that Grimm is?" Summer asked her teammates and the two Faunus, hoping to never have to talk about or witness any of Port's creepy nature again.

"Beowolf or Boarbatusk." Qrow guessed.

"I'm killing him. I don't care, he will not be going anywhere near my daughter!" Raven fumed, her eyes seemed to be glowing a fiery red in her anger and sheer disgust at the old teacher.

"Raven, I think we can all agree that we never want to talk about that ever again or ever see it. Please stop. None of us will stop you from killing Port, but please, calm down." Tai said, pulling her down and having her sit on his lap.

She growled and snapped her teeth as she stomped off to go blow off her anger and her killing intent. Qrow and Tai followed her, needed to brawl with the other to make sure they wouldn't blow up on the wrong person when they resumed watching the future.

Kali, Ghira, and Summer all looked at each other.

"How bad could that have gotten?" Kali asked the team leader of STRQ.

"I'm surprised Raven didn't destroy the TV and demand to leave and go back and kill Port then and there." Summer said, still in shock at what she had seen.

"Well, I am going to get some food and probably go to sleep. I don't think I can watch anymore today." Ghira said. Kali nods and gets up to leave with her boyfriend.

"Don't worry, I'm sure nothing bad will happen to Yang or Ruby in that regard. If it does… I'll help you claw out the person's eyes out." Kali said.

"Thank you, Kali. I'll keep that in mind." Summer smiled as the two left, leaving her alone.

She had a lot to think about. Her death was a reoccurring thought to her, one she could not escape from. She re-watched _'Players and Pieces_' going over the song that they had heard. Summer Rose didn't get angry a lot, but this is one of those times where she didn't think that she could control herself. Her daughter, her young daughter had been there when Tai and her team had gotten the news of her death. But the other question she had was: Where was Yang? Was she there? If she was, how did she react, what happened to Raven….

There were so many questions that still need to be answered that she ran to the room she had picked, slammed the door and screamed bloody murder as all of the terror, anger, and sadness she had been feeling flooded out of her in one giant scream. She collapsed on the floor, throwing off her white cloak and sobbed for hours, she couldn't handle it. She couldn't think, of anything other than her team and her daughters.

Dragging herself to the shower she blasted the cold water without thought. Still in her clothing she knelt down in the bathtub. Numbing herself to her pain and her feelings, she punched the wall, over and over again until someone pulled her out of the freezing cold spray of water still raining down on her.

It was Tai, she was soaked to the bones, shivering and shaking and still sobbing. Her hands and knuckles her bloody, not even her Aura could quickly repair the damage she had done in…. in a three hour time frame.

She looked at the blond young man that was holding her and trying to get her warm. She couldn't hear anything he or the others were saying.

Summer fainted.


	14. V1C10: The Badge and the Burden Part 2

**I'm back, I was moving and getting settled, but now I'm back! Know that I won't abandon this story, but for every volume I finish I will be taking a month off to write and get ahead for this. Thanks for your understanding!**

* * *

Tai and Kali stayed with Summer as they tried to help her keep warm and calm. When they realized that Summer still had not come out of the room she had picked, Kali knocked on her door. Not hearing anything the Cat Faunus went in, thinking that the young Huntress-in-training had fallen asleep.

The sight that greeted her wasn't what she wanted to see. Kali heard the shower running and muffled sobs and screams. The door to the small bathroom was also open, which made Kali pause in confusion. She went in and saw that Summer was kneeling on the tub's floor, sobbing, muffling her screams and punching the wall repeatedly. Her hands and knuckles were mangled from all of the damage. She screamed and got Tai and Ghira.

They helped the sobbing and broken woman out of the freezing water, Tai hugged her close, not caring about getting wet, just wanting to help his friend and team leader. Ghira and Kali got towels and blankets for Summer. Kali also suggested that Summer should wear something dry and warm. The two males left the room as Kali quickly stripped the wet clothing off of the other woman and got her into something else.

She let Tai and the rest of Summer's team enter the room. The two Faunus looked at each other before Kali sobbed into Ghira's chest. "It's okay. She'll be okay, Kali. I have faith, and so should you. That young woman is strong, stronger than we give her credit for." Ghira said.

He felt Kali nod into him. "I… I get why she's horrified and broken, but… What would you do if something happened to me or Blake?" Kali suddenly asked.

Ghira was stunned. "I…. I don't know. I truly have no answer for that." Ghira said, looking to the door. The two went to their shared room, thinking that the team needed to stay with their leader.

The next morning, the two saw Qrow sleeping on the couch. "Are you okay?" Ghira asked.

"Yeah, I needed to get out of there; Rae and Tai could handle her. I didn't want anything to happen." He referred to his Semblance.

"Has something like this happened before?" Kali asked quietly, taking a bite of food from her plate.

"Yeah, Rae and Tai had gotten sick from training together. It was winter and they only went outside to get to the training hall and when they came back they were blowing chunks and Rae was glaring at me. Knew then that my Semblance had acted up again so I left and after two days of me staying away, Summer called and said that both Rae and Tai were okay." Qrow said, remembering that last year.

"Is she okay?" Ghira asked.

"It's going to be slow. Whatever happens, whenever we find out the truth of her death… and anything else that went on… we will find some way to change it." Qrow said in a no-nonsense tone.

After another half an hour, Tai, Raven and Summer came out of her room. "Let's watch." Summer said, leaving no room for anything else to be said. She grabbed the remote and pressed on the buttons to load up the next episode.

**The Badge and the Burden Part 2**

_**Weiss Schnee, now back in her regular attire, readying her Myrtenaster at the growling creature in the cage barely seen at the end of the last episode. Her teammates cheer her on from their seats in the front row.**_

"Let's see how well she actually is." Raven said with her arms crossed over her chest.

"We'll find out if the Schnee name is just that, a name." Qrow grunted.

The two Faunus glanced at each other; they wanted to believe that the second daughter of Jacques Schnee could actually change for the better.

Summer and Tai hoped that Weiss would be nicer to Ruby; their daughter deserved at least that from her partner.

**Yang **_**raised her fist**_**. "Goooo, Weiss!"**

**Blake said, "Fight well!"**

"Blake is breaking out of her shell." Kali whispered to Ghira. He nods and kissed Kali's forehead, happy that their daughter was finding people that she could rely on, especially humans.

**Ruby Rose yelled out a happy, "Yeah, represent Teeeeam RWBY!"**

**Weiss lowered her sword and glared at her leader. "Ruby! I'm trying to focus!"**

Qrow's eyes narrowed. He didn't think that the girl could change, not one from that family.

**Ruby looked down. "Oh, um... Sorry..."**

**Port started talking, "Allllright!" He stood **_**next to the cage, pulling out his axe**_**. "Let the match... **_**begin**_**!"**

"Let's see how she does alone." Raven said, crossing her arms. Qrow leaned back and just stared at the middle Schnee child, seeing what she would do. He thought that all that private training didn't mean shit, but he might be proven wrong with the middle child of Jacques Schnee.

"Good luck." Tai said. The others didn't talk but Summer hummed and concentrated on Weiss and the Grimm she was about to fight.

_**The professor swings down and breaks the lock, dropping the cage door and revealing the Boarbatusk inside, which immediately charges at Weiss. She uses Myrtenaster to deflect its attack and roll to the side, readying herself for its next move. The Grimm stands a distance away from its enemy, studying her.**_

**"Ha-ha! Wasn't expecting **_**that**_**, were you?" Port laughed.**

"Let the girl fight without your commentary, it would make this much easier to watch." Ghira grumbled.

**"Hang in there, Weiss!" Ruby cheered.**

_**Weiss is now speeding towards the oncoming Boarbatusk, sticking her blade straight at its skull until they meet and Myrtenaster is trapped in the beast's tusks. Weiss is still hanging on to the hilt, and is tossed around as she struggles to get the rapier back.**_

**"Bold, new approach. I like it!" Port exclaimed.**

**"Come on, Weiss, show it who's boss!" Ruby cheered.**

_**Weiss turns to glare at Ruby, only for the Boarbatusk to turn its head and rip the sword from her grip. Myrtenaster lands far away from its master, who is knocked back by the creature's tusks.**_

"Watch what you're doing, or in the field you'll get someone killed if you're distracted. Your fights won't be in a classroom, it will be out in the world where you'll have to learn how to multitask. Evacuate civilians, fight the Grimm, and capture stragglers." Qrow said.

"True, but they have a few more years and many more missions before they are out on a team mission without any assistance." Summer reminded Qrow.

"Still, Summer. If she can't focus on multiple things at once, it will get someone killed." Raven defended her brother from their leader, even though she knew he didn't need her protection from Summer or Tai.

**"Oh-ho! Now what will you do without your weapon?" the fat professor asked.**

_**Weiss looks up just in time to see the Boarbatusk charge again, rolling out of the way just in time to avoid getting trampled and make it crash into a desk. Weiss rushes at her sword and slides to get it back in her hand.**_

**"Weiss! Go for its belly! There's no armor underneath-" Ruby tried to help her.**

"Your daughter is right, Summer. The underbelly of a Boarbatusk has no bone plating, it's defenseless there." Raven said, nodding in approval at the silver-eyed teenager.

**Weiss **_**turned to Ruby**_**. "Stop telling me what to do!"**

_**Ruby looks hurt at Weiss' rebuttal. Meanwhile, the Boarbatusk leaps into the air and rolls into a ball, spinning rapidly in the air and landing on the ground, consistently gaining speed until it launches itself at Weiss. It comes closer and closer, but Weiss activates one of her blue-white circles and blocks the roll, leaping up into the now-black snowflake symbol and turning it blue again so she can drive the blade into the Boarbatusk's stomach. It squeals and falls silent while Weiss gasps in relief.**_

**"Bravo! Bra-vo! It appears we are **_**indeed**_** in the presence of a true Huntress-in-training!" Port started **_**as Weiss stands up at attention from her exhausted position and Ruby continues to frown**_**). "I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and... stay **_**vigilant**_**! Class dismissed!"" He concluded his lesson.**

_**Weiss glares and turns away, walking hurriedly to the exit past her teammates.**_

"She tried to help you, at least give credit where it's due." Ghira said angrily.

"Very true, without Ruby's help the girl could have been severely injured from the Boarbatusk's tusks.

**"Sheesh, what's with her?" Jaune asked, watching Weiss leave.**

_**The remaining members of Team RWBY look at each other with the same question.**_

* * *

_**Weiss is still storming off, but Ruby turns a corner and manages to catch up with her.**_

**"Weiss!" Ruby yelled after her partner.**

"At least Ruby is trying, that's what counts." Kali said, hand on her cheek.

No one said anything, just continued to watch.

**Weiss **_**turned around**_**. "What?"**

**"What's wrong with you? Why are you being-?" Ruby asked, but was cut off.**

**"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with **_**you**_**? You're supposed to be a leader, and all you've been so far is a nuisance!"**

"She's two years younger than you, calm down." Tai's fists clenched, getting angry at how this girl was treating his daughter.

"Tai, calm down. Please, we know that sooner or later Weiss will change for the better." Summer tried to say.

"Not soon enough." Qrow growled.

**Ruby **_**scoffs**_**. "What did I do?"**

**"That's just it - you've done **_**nothing**_** to earn your position! Back in the forest, you acted like a child, and you've only continued to do so!" Weiss shouted at the red-cloaked girl.**

"You're all children!" Ghira roared. "You have no right to say that to her, when you are also a child yourself."

**"Weiss, where is this coming from? What happened to all the talk about 'working together'? I thought you believed in acting as a team." Ruby said, not understanding why Weiss was mad at her.**

**"Not a team led by **_**you**_**. I've studied **_**and**_** trained. And quite frankly, I deserve better." The Schnee heiress **_**turns her back to Ruby, trying to reach out but dropping her hand with the following words**_**. "Ozpin made a mistake." then she **_**walks away as Ruby looks dejected**_**.**

Ozpin doesn't make mistakes like that." Raven said suddenly. Everyone else but Qrow looked at her.

The female Branwen nodded her head at the screen as she spoke. "He chose Summer as our leader for a reason, it has to do something with her eyes. Whatever that is, Ruby inherited it. And we will find out what that it later. Something is going on, with Ozpin, with Ruby, with that creepy voice at the beginning that was talking with Ozpin."

**"Hmm... Now that didn't seem to go very well." Ozpin said, coming up behind the young leader.**

"What is he? A ninja?" Tai asked, slightly creeped out at how Ozpin seems to know everything that was going on at Beacon.

"Wouldn't doubt it." Qrow said.

**Ruby **_**looked doubtful. **_**"Is she right? Did you make a mistake?"**

**Ozpin **_**laughed slightly**_**. "That remains to be seen."**

"Yes, it does." Raven muttered. Summer eyed the other female and then went back to watching her daughter's team.

* * *

_**Weiss is still walking around the halls until she comes across a balcony where Professor Port is watching the sunset over Beacon Academy's rooftops.**_

**Weiss **_**approached him**_**. "Professor Port!"**

"She's asking Port for advice?" Tai asked.

"Apparently." Summer replied.

"Let's see what advice he gives her before we pass judgment on both of them, please." Ghira compromised. The others agreed.

**Port **_**turned to look at her**_**. "Ah, Miss Schnee! And to what do I owe this **_**fine**_** pleasure?"**

**"I... I enjoyed your lecture!" Weiss said.**

**"Of course you did, child; you have the blood of a true Huntress in you." Port exclaimed.**

**Weiss **_**smiled**_**. "You really think so?"**

"Kiss-up." Qrow muttered.

**"Most surely!" Port **_**notices Weiss' small frown and lack of eye contact**_**. "Hmm... Something's troubling you."**

**"Yes, sir..." the heiress trailed off.**

**"Dear girl, confess to me your strife!" Port exclaimed valiantly.**

"Let's see what her real problem is." Tai said.

**"Well... I-I think I should have been the leader of Team RWBY!" Weiss said strongly.**

Qrow jumped up and brandished his broadsword in anger at the Schnee. His team and Ghira jumped up to restrain him.

**Port was **_**silent for a moment until he speaks**_**. "That's preposterous!"**

* * *

**"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.**

**Ozpin hummed. "I mean, it's only been one day. Ruby... I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. But at this moment, I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them." He **_**leans in so he can look more directly at Ruby**_**. "Do you?"**

"That's foreshadowing like I've never seen." Raven said as she heard what Ozpin said to Ruby.

"No kidding." Tai said.

"What does he mean though?" Kali asked.

"We'll probably find out later in a later chapter or a later volume." Summer said.

* * *

**Weiss was **_**now getting angry**_**. "Ex**_**cuse**_** me?!"**

**"I've believed in Professor Ozpin for many years, and the man's never **_**once**_** led me astray!" Port said to her.**

"Again, is that foreshadowing or….?" Tai asked. No one answered, not really knowing how to.

**"So you would just **_**blindly**_** accept his decision even after seeing how exceptional I am?"**

**"With all due respect, your exceptional skill on the battlefield is matched only by your poor attitude." Port muttered.**

"Thank you!" Qrow exclaimed happily. "Finally someone agrees with me!"

Tai snorted and rolled his eyes.

**Weiss was **_**seething now**_**. "How **_**dare**_** you!"**

**"My point exactly. I see a girl before me who has spent her entire life getting **_**exactly**_** what she wanted." The professor frowned.**

"Damn spoiled little princess." Qrow hissed, Raven was also getting annoyed by the Schnee girl's behavior.

Ghira and Kali flinched at Weiss' behavior, if this was what all of the Schnee children were like… they were getting nervous what would happen when Blake's identity as a Faunus comes out.

**Weiss **_**crossed her arms, looking defiant**_**. "That's not even **_**remotely**_** true!" U**_**nder the teacher's gaze, she reluctantly relents.**_** "Well... not **_**entirely**_** true."**

"Bitch please. You got everything you wanted every fucking time." Raven said, becoming angry as her brother on the matter of the heiress. But she didn't really know why, at least, not at the moment.

* * *

**"Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you're not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give **_**others**_** to follow you?" Ozpin asked her.**

"That's true." Summer said.

The others were silent, no one except Summer and Ghira knew what it meant to lead people.

_**Ruby looks thoughtful with Ozpin's words, then smiles at him.**_

* * *

**"So the outcome did not fall in your favor. Do you really believe that acting in such a manner would cause those in power to reconsider their decision?" The Huntsman asked as **_**Weiss finally calms down and looks at him again**_**. "So instead of fretting about what you don't have, savor what you **_**do**_**. Hone your skills, perfect every technique, and be not the best **_**leader**_**, but the best **_**person**_** you can be."**

_**Weiss smiles a little at the words of wisdom.**_

"No one changes that fast, no matter who they are." Raven said.

* * *

**Ozpin **_**turned back to Ruby, still talking to her**_**. "You've been burdened with a daunting responsibility, Ruby. I advise you take some time, to think about how you will uphold it."**

"Ruby…. I'll help you; I'll be there for you and Yang. I promise." Summer cried a bit. Tai put a hand on her shoulder and gave his leader a comforting squeeze. She gave him a small smile.

_**Ruby, with a last look of consideration, turns and walks away. She comes to the balcony where Port is walking away from Weiss and smiles a little at her partner.**_

* * *

_**The full moon shines over the green lights of Beacon, and in the room of Team RWBY, the door opens and Weiss' shadow is seen against the hall's light. Blake is sleeping under the covers, Yang is spread out on her bed and snoring, and when Weiss lifts the blanket of Ruby's tent, she finds the occupant with her head resting on notes, a pencil in her hand, and open books all around her. Weiss, looking amazed at Ruby's determination, clears her throat and gently shakes the other girl awake, who takes a second to regain consciousness and start flailing in surprise.**_

"She's two years younger and still persevering through it all." Ghira said, giving a nod to Summer.

"She's amazing." Kali said, happy for her new friend's daughter.

"She is, isn't she?" Tai whispered, grinning at his and Summer's daughter.

**"Weiss! I-I was studying, and then I fell asleep! I'm sorry..." Ruby stammered.**

_**Weiss places a hand over Ruby's mouth and puts a finger to her own so Ruby understands the need for lowering her voice. Weiss looks near Ruby's pillow and spots an empty Beacon coffee mug.**_

**Weiss **_**lowered her hand**_**. "How do you take your coffee?"**

"What?" Tai asked.

"What?" Summer also asked.

"What kind of random question is that?" Ghira and Kali glanced at each other in confusion.

"Huh?" Raven and Qrow blinked slowly to try and process the white haired girl's question.

**"I... I don't..." Ruby was confused by her partner's question.**

**Weiss started **_**getting irritated**_**. "Answer the question!"**

**"Uhh, cream and five sugars!"**

"That's way too much sugar." Raven, Qrow, and Ghira shuddered at what Ruby liked in her coffee.

Summer, Kali, and Tai laughed.

**"Don't move." S**_**he ducks under to her own bed and comes up a moment later with a fresh cup, offering it to Ruby**_**. "Here."**

**Ruby gives the girl a small smile in thanks. "Um... Thanks, Weiss."**

**Weiss **_**smiles, and then looks apologetic**_**. "Ruby, I think you have what it takes to be a good leader." **_**Ruby smiles appreciatively**_**. "Just know that I am going to be the best teammate you'll **_**ever**_** have!" T**_**hey share a smile**_**. "Good luck studying!" Weiss **_**ducks under, only to come up and point at one of Ruby's papers**_**. "That's wrong, by the way." Weiss **_**ducks under again, and her voice comes from the doorway this time**_**. "Hey, Ruby?"**

**"Uh-huh?"**

**Weiss **_**stands in the door with her hand on the knob**_**. "I always wanted bunk beds as a kid." S**_**he starts to close the door**_**.**

_**Ruby, grinning at the progress with her friend, goes back to her notes.**_

"Maybe there's a chance for her." Kali was the first to break the comfortable silence of the room.

"She's changing, slowly, but she's getting better." Summer said, smiling.

Raven hummed, "Perhaps, but we still have more to see."

"There's still Blake and her affiliation to the White Fang." Ghira reminded them.

Qrow didn't say anything, he just kept his arms crossed and sat in sullen silence.


	15. V1C11: Jaunedice

**All of the backstory I'm giving Qrow, Raven and the others is only what they have personally told their friends and the people in the viewing. So a lot of this is what we already know about the Branwen twins and a whole lot of speculations on my part, so, because of that, if we get some stuff about Team STRQ in V7 or even Kali, Ghira and Menagerie, just know that I will add that in later.**

**Volume 7 trailer dropped a few days ago! Who's HYPED?! I AM! No spoilers about anything in the reviews please! Thank you.**

* * *

"This has to do with that blonde kid, Jaune. His name is in the title of the chapter." Tai said.

"Let's see what this is then," Ghira said, he wanted to know more about his daughter and her partner, Yang Xiao Long, the daughter of Taiyang and Raven.

**Jaunedice**

_**Cardin Winchester with his mace perched on his shoulder and Jaune Arc opposite him with Crocea Mors drawn, leaning on his weapon as if exhausted, in the spotlight shining on the Beacon Academy auditorium stage.**_

"Remind me again how he got into Beacon?" Qrow muttered.

No one answered him; they couldn't when they didn't even know how he got in.

_**He looks at Cardin, who laughs at his opponent's tiredness, and Jaune gathers his strength to charge forward and swing his blade at Cardin, only for him to jump out of the way. Jaune looks back, surprised, as Cardin's mace sends Jaune's shield - and himself - flying back. Now only armed with his sword, Jaune continued to try and attack, but is blocked by the mace's hilt. Their weapons locked, Cardin forces himself up, towering over a struggling Jaune.**_

**"This is the part where you **_**lose**_**." Cardin said.**

"He's not wrong. That boy has the brute streght to overpower Jaune." Tai said.

**Jaune struggles to get up. "Over my dead-!"**

_**Jaune is cut short as Cardin knees him in the gut, making Jaune drop his sword and fall to the ground in pain. Cardin raises his mace and is about to slam it down on a worried Jaune just when the buzzer rings, the lights come back on, and Glynda Goodwitch's voice causes him to stop.**_

"Damn, that's harsh." Tai whistled.

"He was already down, that boy didn't need to do that." Kali frowned.

"The strong survive, the weak die." Raven said.

Qrow flinches when his sister says that, but keeps silent. Summer and Tai close their eyes and sigh.

Kali and Ghira look at Raven. "While I agree with you… that thinking is not healthy." Ghira said.

"It holds true though." Raven defended.

"Let's just continue." Kali said, trying not to start an argument with the Branwen female. Raven and Ghira stopped their argument, wanting to see what happens next.

**"Cardin, that's enough!" Glynda says sternly. H****e relents and walks away as she comes onto the stage, tapping her tablet****. "Students, as you can see, Mr. Arc's Aura has now dropped into the red. In a tournament-styled duel, this would indicate that Jaune is no longer fit for battle, and that the official may call the match." ****Jaune still lays on the floor in defeat and Pyrrha Nikos looks sad, Glynda turns her head to look at the losing warrior as he pulls out a smaller tablet with his low, blinking stats and that of his entire team****. "Mr. Arc, it's been weeks now. Please try to refer to your Scroll during combat. Gauging your Aura will help you decide when it's appropriate to attack, or when it is better to move to a more... defensive strategy. We wouldn't want you to be gobbled up by a Beowolf, now, would we?" The blonde teacher asked her student.**

"In an actual battle we won't be able to check our scrolls." Raven said.

"That's all well and good in a tournament, but in battle, that kind of distraction will get you killed." Ghira said, crossing his arms over his chest.

**"Speak for yourself..." Cardin muttered.**

**Glynda turned ****to the seated and standing students, such as: Yang Xiao Long, punching the air in anticipation; Weiss Schnee, shaking her fists with an excited smile; and Ruby Rose, shaking her entire body with enthusiastic energy while squealing softly****. "Remember, everyone, the Vytal Festival is only a few months away! It won't be long before students from the other kingdoms start arriving in Vale, so keep practicing! Those who choose to compete in the combat tournament will be representing all of Vale!"**

"What?! Already? They barely have any training." Summer exclaimed, worried.

"Something doesn't feel right about this." Qrow muttered. Raven glanced at her brother and gave him a small nod.

"What do you mean?" Kali asked, Tai raised an eyebrow at his male teammate.

Qrow didn't answer, just frowned. "You'll get wrinkles like that." Raven commented.

Qrow flushed a bit and huffed. "Shut up. Just watch."

_**The bell rings, and students start leaving while Pyrrha continues to frown sadly. Jaune, still sitting on the floor, hangs his head in shame as the scene goes dark.**_

* * *

_**The teams come back to a zoom-up of Nora Valkyrie's turquoise eyes as she tells an unbelievable story to her audience...**_

**"So! There we were, in the middle of the night..." Nora started excitedly.**

**Ren says, "It was day."**

**Nora was talking ****to Blake Belladonna, paying no attention as she is lost in her book, and Yang, who is hanging on her every word with her hands cupping her face****. "We were surrounded by Ursai..."**

"What's wrong with Blake?" Kali asked, worried for her future daughter. Ghira holds Kali's hand reassuringly.

**Ren was ****holding a coffee cup****. "They were Beowolves."**

**"Dozens of them!" Nora**** screams this as she stands at the table of both Team RWBY and JNPR, where Weiss is ignoring Nora and filing her nails, Ruby and Pyrrha are listening politely, and Jaune is messing with his food****.**

"I feel so bad for Ren." Tai said, cracking up.

"She's a bit spirited, but Nora means well." Summer tried.

"A bit? That's like saying Raven isn't a moody bitch half the time." Qrow said, as he snorted.

Raven was not amused by this and threw a pillow at Qrow's face. His Semblance active and it exploded all over him. He sighed and shook his head angrily.

"Seriously?! One day I'm probably going to die because of this damned Semblance." Qrow growled as his eyes narrowed.

"Don't worry, Qrow! We won't let you die." Summer said positively.

"You can't stop death, Summer. No matter how hard you may want to." Qrow said sadly. Raven grabbed his hand but didn't say anything.

Qrow closed his eyes and took his hand out of Raven's. "Continue without me. I need some space." Qrow got up from the couch and went to the gym-area that this weird place had.

Summer was about to say something but Raven stopped her leader. "No, Summer. This is something he needs to work through himself. This has happened before. Just give him space, he'll come back eventually."

"What if he doesn't?" Kali asked quietly.

Raven pinched the bridge of her nose. "Qrow… he's someone with a lot of problems, we both are. But Qrow, my brother… he needs to do what he thinks will be best for him. He knows that I will support whatever decision he has about his future. But he also knows that he needs to be careful, the Tribe won't take what he says kindly." Raven scowled as she thought about the Chief's mission for them.

"What do you mean?" Ghira asked.

"The Chief won't let Qrow go. And he knows that. Qrow knows that the only way he will ever be free, will be in death, and I don't want that. I don't want Qrow to ever feel like that's his only option. I… there is very little I can do, but I think with all of us… we can slowly get him out of that mindset. I know it's a lot to ask, and I don't really know the two of you well, but-" Raven stopped talking when she felt three pairs of arms surrounding her.

Summer, Taiyang, and Kali were hugging her. Ghira put one of his large hands on her shoulder. "We will help both of you. I think I speak for everyone here, that we will help you and Qrow any way we can. We are watching our children's futures; we are basically family as our daughters are a team." Ghira smiled at Raven as tears prickled the corners of her eyes.

Raven tried not to cry, but it was really hard. She never thought that she would have people to support her, and she really didn't count Qrow since he was obligated to as he was her younger twin brother.

"Thank you." Raven said as she bowed her head to the four others. Qrow heard all of what Raven and Ghira had said since he was standing next to the closed door. He breathed in slowly and exhaled. He felt a little bit better hearing that, but that didn't fully settle his mind. He didn't know if what Ghira said was possible, if they could help them, but he would try for his team's sake, and Yang and Ruby.

The spiky haired young man came back into the viewing room and sat next to Summer this time, she smiled and squeezed his hand. He smiled slightly. Summer considered that progress and Tai beamed at him. Raven gave him a nod but he could see that she was proud of him for taking that small first step.

**"Two of 'em." Ren corrected.**

**Nora kept talking ****while Ruby and Pyrrha now look at a distant Jaune with concern****. "But they were no match... And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!"**

**Ren sighs, "She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now."**

"Something's wrong." Kali muttered.

"But what?" Tai asked.

**Pyrrha ****looked at her leader****. "Jaune? Are you okay?"**

**Jaune ****snapped out of it, turning back toward them****. "Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?"**

**"It's just that you seem a little... not okay..." Ruby said slowly, trying to phrase it nicely.**

"You got a way with words, don't ya." Qrow chuckled, as he glanced over to Summer and Tai. Summer and Tai blushed a bit.

**Jaune stopped **_**as the others stop their distractions and stare at him**_**. "Guys, I'm fine. Seriously! Look!" H**_**e holds up a thumb while laughing nervously until his attention is focused on the members of Team CRDL, standing around a girl with brown rabbit ears jutting from her hair as Cardin laughs at her and Sky Lark holds up his hands to his head in a mock interpretation of her unusual features**_**.**

Kali and Ghira clenched their fists. Ghira actually growled in anger. Tai and Summer were also mad about what they were doing to that Faunus girl.

"Bastards!" Ghira shouted, his pupils narrowed into slits. Kali flinched and closed her eyes, she was close to tears at watching this poor Faunus girl get picked on.

**"Jaune, Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school!" Pyrrha said, concerned.**

**"Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah... He just likes to mess around! You know, practical jokes!" Jaune tried to reassure.**

"Why is he defending him?" Summer asked, even more worried.

"Something's not right." Kali muttered angrily.

**"He's a **_**bully**_**." Ruby sternly said to her friend.**

"No kidding, but with how Ozpin is so lenient, I doubt he would expel the team for their behavior." Qrow mumbled.

**Jaune scoffs, "Oh, please! Name **_**one**_** time he's 'bullied' me."**

"Bullying isn't okay." Kali said, looking sad. Summer went over to the Cat Faunus and gently placed her hand on top of hers. Kali gave the Human team leader a small grateful smile.

* * *

_**Jaune is seen on the way to class as Cardin is going the other way down the hall. When the two pass, Cardin knocks his arm into Jaune and makes him drop his book, then continuing on his way with his hands out as if daring anyone to challenge him.**_

**"Ah, come on!" Jaune exclaimed.**

"Asshole." Qrow and Tai were shaking with rage.

* * *

_**Jaune and Cardin are about to pass through a doorway, but Cardin clicks on Jaune's sheath and extends it into its shield form as he's going out, causing him to run into his own defense and have it block the exit.**_

**Jaune **_**grunts in frustration as he tries to lift his shield back out**_**. "Come on...!"**

'_How the hell did he get accepted into Beacon like this?' _Raven thought, she still had an odd feeling about this boy for some reason.

"That's so unsafe! Someone could have gotten hurt from that prank." Summer gasped.

* * *

_**Glynda is in the locker room with several students, gesturing at the devices.**_

**"Each of you will be assigned one rocket-propelled locker to store your weapons and extra armor. Additionally, your locker can be sent to a custom location based on a six-digit code." The blonde professor said.**

_**Hearing this, Cardin looks at Jaune - standing between him and the only open locker in the room - and the cliché plays itself out as Cardin quickly pushes a shocked Jaune into the small dark space and closes the door on him, pressing random buttons on the pad right after that.**_

"That dick." Tai really wanted to hunt that boy down or his parents as the kid wasn't born yet, but knock them on their asses. He wouldn't take this, _ever_. He hates bullies with a passion, even at Beacon, anytime he saw someone getting picked on; he would immediately help them out, no matter if they were Human or Faunus.

**"What?! No, wait, wait! You've gotta get me out of here! Please! Don't! Don't! Don't do it!" Juane shouted frantciallly.**

_**It's too late to protest when the locker scrunches down and launches up with a burst of blue fire coming from its base. Cardin watches as the locker slowly soars across the sky.**_

**"Ahhh, coooome oooooooon...!" Juane yells.**

"I could hunt down his parents, all of that teams parents and easily kill them." Raven suddenly commented, not bothered at the prospect of killing. Both she and Qrow were used to the smell of blood and their victims lying around them when they raided a village.

Summer, Tai, Kali, and Ghira looked at Raven in stunned horror. Qrow looked down and flinched a bit from being reminded of their mission. He really hoped that his team and new friends wouldn't find out about why they _really_ came to Beacon. But with his Bad Luck, he wouldn't doubt that it would be somewhere in the viewing.

* * *

_**The others are totally focused on him now.**_

**Jaune **_**attempts to laugh it off**_**. "I didn't land far from the school!"**

**"Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask." Pyrrha said, wanting to help her partner and team leader.**

**"Ooooh!" Nora gets up from the table and presents her diabolical plan with a not-entirely-sane grin. "We'll break his legs!"**

"She's crazy." Tai said bluntly.

"I like her." Raven grinned, thinking of some way to maybe bring her into the Tribe later on.

"She would end up in jail if she did that." Ghira said.

**"Guys, really, it's fine! Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to **_**me**_**; he's a jerk to everyone."**

"That's doesn't make what he's doing right!" Kali yelled out, frustrated.

"Got that right." Tai's eyes darkened to almost black when Kali looked at him.

"Tai… calm down." Summer slowly said as she placed a hand on his arm. He was still shaking in anger. He growled low in his throat as he got up, roared and punched the wall, repeatedly.

Summer and Kali flinched at the noise of his hand striking the wall, but didn't comment. Ghira, Raven, and Qrow just let him get his anger out; they were also a bit pissed off at this horrible excuse of a Huntsman-in-training and his team.

_**They all looks over as the laughing grows louder, mixed in with cries of pain from the rabbit girl when one of her ears are tugged on by Cardin.**_

**"Ow! That hurts!" Velvet yelps****and grimaces as she says**_**:**_** "Please, stop..."**

Kali flinched visibly and flattened her ears on her head, whimpering slightly. Ghira wrapped his girlfriend in a warm and protective hug.

**Cardin continues laughing as he turns to his cronies. "I told you it was real!"**

Summer's cloak began to turn into dual-colored rose petals in her own anger and sadness at what was happening.

**Russel Thrush was still laughing with his teammates. "What a freak!"**

_**Cardin finally relents, and the girl stands up and hurries off, her head bowed and hiding her face from the watching table of heroes.**_

"Why were they just watching and not doing anything?" Ghira asked, looking to Team STRQ.

"Bystander syndrome, it's a real thing. They didn't want to call attention to themselves as to not be put into the same situation." Raven said, her eyes narrowed at watching her daughter and Blake closely.

**"Atrocious. I can't **_**stand**_** people like him." Pyrrha narrowed her green eyes in anger.**

**Blake was staring daggers at Team CRDL. "He's **_**not**_** the only one..."**

Kali was still whimpering a bit, but her ears were now not flattened against her head. She rubbed them and bit in sympathy for the Rabbit Faunus.

**Yang started sadly, leaning her head on her hand. "It must be hard to be a Faunus."**

"You have no idea." Kali mumbled.

"It's not as bad in Vacuo, race doesn't matter over there. Everyone who can survive the deserts is welcome." Ghira started, he rubbed soothing circles on Kali's back as he spoke. Team STRQ listened to him.

"Mistral and Vale, though… a lot of stores and restaurants refuse Faunus service, so they have to find somewhere else, and sometimes it's in an area that's really bad that they get jumped or killed if they're not careful. It happens a lot in Mistral. But Atlas….. Atlas is by far the worst place to live if you are a Faunus." He didn't need to say more about Atlas, they all knew the horrible atrocities that Jacques Schnee is doing to the Faunus.

_**Having gotten up from the table, Jaune looks back at his friends and sighs to himself before moving on with his tray table. He doesn't realize that Cardin is watching his walk of shame with a sinister grin**_**.**

"Fucking ass." Tai said.

"I think all of us need a bit of a break." Summer said, looking at each person that was with her.

"Yeah, I think we take the rest of the day off and start back tomorrow." Ghira agreed with Summer.

"Come on." He gently ushered the Cat Faunus out of the room and back to their bedroom in this place.

The others slowly made their way back to their rooms and thought about all of what they watched so far, knowing that it might very well be getting worse in future volumes.


	16. V1C12: Jaunedice Part 2

**Happy birthday Ruby Rose! I have a new story planned, and it's a RWBY one. So, if any of you are interested in reading that when it drops, know it will take priority over STRQ Future but I will be updating this fic whenever I have the chance. My new RWBY fic will be coming out on November 5th, so give that a read when it drops. Also, I will say this now: ABSOLUTLY NO V7 SPIOLERS! If you do spoil anything for those that are not First Members I will delete your review and PM if you try and spoil anything. Please respect that, and thank you for your continued support with this fic!**

* * *

**Warning: Past attempted suicide, and talks of suicide.**

The six 20-something year olds came back the next day to watch their futures and their children's futures.

"Are you ready?" Summer specifically asked Kali and Ghira.

"You might see stuff that upsets or unsettles you, do you want to continue?" Tai asked gently.

Kali looked at her boyfriend, but he just gave a soft smile. "Yes, I'm ready." Kali said, leaning into his large frame.

Summer pressed the play button on the remote.

**Jaunedice Part 2**

_**A uniformed, sleeping Jaune Arc with his head resting in his hands while a constantly-zooming and fast-talking Professor Bartholomew Oobleck is in the middle of his hyperactive lecture, educating Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Pyrrha Nikos, Velvet Scarlatina, and a leaned-back Cardin Winchester directly behind Jaune.**_

"Holy shit! That's Bart!" Tai said in shock, he leaned forward with a large smile on his face. Kali and Ghira looked at the others for an explanation. "He's a friend of mine at Beacon." Tai explained.

**"Yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution-more popularly known as the Faunus War-" Oobleck says as he zooms up to the front of the class and the map covered in papers behind his desk. "-humankind was quite, quite **_**adamant**_** about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie." He points at the map of said-area with his stick, and then zooms off to the side for a sip of his coffee before appearing in front of the desk. "Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively **_**recent**_** events! Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!" **_**Zooming around the classroom more, sipping his coffee again before continuing to zoom and talk**_**. "Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?"**

"Well that got heavy." Qrow muttered, glancing at the two Faunus with them.

"The Human Councils gave us Menagerie, not because they respected us. It's because they wanted to shut us up." Ghira said.

"Have either of you been discriminated before?" Raven asked bluntly. Qrow groaned and slapped his face.

"Raven, you need to learn the meaning of not asking blunt questions!" Qrow said to his sister.

"What? It's a legitimate question. I want to know." Raven shrugged, looking at the two Faunus for an answer to her question.

"Yes, we both have been discriminated against, Raven." Ghira answered her.

"See, simple question, simple answer." Raven said turning to Qrow.

However she wasn't expecting a slap when she turned her head. The other four in the room were utterly speechless. Summer and Tai had their jaws down to the floor. Ghira's eyes widened and Kali had her hand over her mouth in shock.

Raven's red eyes widened as she slowly touched her face where Qrow had slapped her. Her Aura broke from the slap, as a result of Qrow's Semblance. Qrow however, his eyes were shadowed by his hair, and he was shaking in rage.

He roughly grabbed his sister and pushed her against the wall. That was when Summer, Tai, and Ghira stood up to stop him. Raven, hadn't tried to fight him, usually she does, but not this time, for some reason, she just kept on staring at her brother's face.

"Do you think this is funny? That it's a joke?" He asked her, not giving her anytime to answer. "This is our lives! Our future! So tell me, what the fuck are you doing?!"

"Our miss-" Raven was cut off by her brother pulling her off the wall and slamming her back into it, hard. Cracks spider-webbed out of where her back had hit. She gasped both in pain and shock. She had never seen her brother this angry, hell she had never seen him truly angry in a very long time.

"Our mission?! SCERW THE MISSION! We have a chance to change things! Not keep them the same, that was why we were brought here!" Qrow yelled in her face.

"The tr-" She was cut off again.

Qrow's eyes blaze with anger. "Finish that sentence, I dare you." He hissed low. Raven was frozen. She was scared. Scared of her brother. "If you're done with your bullshit, I want to know what the hell happened to us, to all of us." Qrow said, letting go of Raven and letting her slide down the wall in shock.

Qrow sat back down, away from the others, not looking in Raven's direction. He was pissed off and angry at her. Maybe this will teach her not to spout off stupid nonsense.

The others went back to watching the future. Raven was still sitting down on the floor, staring at her younger twin brother. Summer tried to help the other female up, but she was rejected with a small head shake. Summer went back to sit next to Tai, glancing ever so often at the twins.

_**Some of the silhouetted students raise their hands. Velvet, after a moment, does the same.**_

**Oobleck shook his head. "Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is **_**precisely**_** this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" He **_**takes another sip of his coffee**_**. "I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to White Fang! Now, which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorize to be the turning point in the third year of the War?" **_**A hand is raised**_** in the air. "Yes?" He asked, waiting for the speaker to start.**

"I remember that." Ghira said.

Tai and Summer nodded. "Same, the Faunus' strategy was actually really smart." Summer said.

Kali and Ghira smile at her. "Thank you, Summer." Kali said. Summer waved it off, saying it was true.

**Weiss answered clearly. "The battle at Fort Castle!"**

**"Precisely! **_**And**_**, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?" The professor asked.**

"Night vision!" Summer and Kali answered together. Both females blushed and laughed together.

_**Unseen by the professor, Cardin flicks a paper football at Jaune's head, causing him to wake up.**_

"Dick." Tai muttered.

**"Hey!" Jaune exclaimed at being woken up.**

**Oobleck **_**zoomed over into Jaune's face**_**. "Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?"**

**Jaune was stumped. He didn't know. "Uhhhh... The answer... The advantage... that the Faunus..." He **_**looks behind Oobleck's focused face at Pyrrha, who coughs and motions to her lips as she gives him the answer**_**. "...had over that guy's stuff..." **_**He sees Pyrrha cup her hands around her eyes and goes for the most obvious answer**_**. "Uhh... Binoculars!"**

The others howled with laughter. "Oh man! This kid's great!" Taiyang said, wiping a tear from his eye.

"What I want to know is where he went to school, or if he did before going to Beacon." Ghira said, chuckling still.

_**While Jaune looks pleased with his answer, the class laughs at him and Oobleck, who was back at the front of the class, sips his coffee. Pyrrha sighs and slaps a hand to her forehead as Cardin pounds his fist on his desk while chortling.**_

"He probably doesn't know the answer either!" Kali said, angry at Cardin.

**Oobleck was **_**zooming back behind his desk**_**. "Very funny, Mr. Arc! Cardin! Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject!"**

"Wonder what he'll say." Qrow said, crossing his arms.

**Cardin smirked. "Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an **_**animal**_** than a soldier."**

Everyone viewing the future froze in absolute fury and shock. Ghira growled and roared in anger. "I'll rip that Human apart!"

Kali was also pissed, her amber eyes were narrowed so much that it looked like her eyes were closed and she was shaking in rage, silently snarling at this disgusting excuse of a Human.

Both twins jumped up and brandished their weapons at the TV, ready to kill Cardin. Tai was glowing slightly, his anger fueling his Semblance.

_**(AN: It's similar to Yang's as we don't know what it is, it'll just be close to Yang's.)**_

Summer's cloak turned into dual-colored petals, white and red in response to her emotions, her teeth were clenched so hard that Tai, Raven, and Qrow could _hear _her teeth grinding against each other.

_**Oobleck shakes his head**_**, as Pyrrha says, "You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you, Cardin?"**

Qrow snorted. "No kidding."

"That's an understatement." Kali muttered.

**Cardin narrows his eyes at the redhead. "What? You got a problem?"**

"Yeah, you." Tai's fists were clenched so tightly that his Aura almost broke.

**"No, I have the answer! It's **_**night vision**_**. Many Faunus are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark." Pyrrha says as Cardin growls at the correct response.**

"At least she seems to respect us." Kali whispered to Ghira. The other Faunus nodded.

**"General Lagune was inexperienced, and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the general was captured." Blake ****turns to Cardin.**** "Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as **_**such**_** a failure."**

Tai whistled at Blake's comeback. Summer, Qrow, and Kali laughed. Raven grinned smugly at Cardin as he got humiliated, and Ghira smiled. "Burn!"

**Cardin gets up from his seat, fist clenched. "Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat." Oobleck said. Jaune laughs at his tormentor's embarrassment, as the professor zooms up to him. "You **_**and**_** Mr. Arc can both see me after class for additional readings." The green haired teacher takes yet another sip of his coffee.**

"That sucks. I've been on the receiving end of those." Qrow said.

"Yeah, that's because he fall asleep in class all of the time." Summer said.

"No my fault!" Qrow defended.

"So who's would it be?" Raven asked.

Qrow points at Tai. "His! How the hell are you not dead tired after all your crazy workouts at the ass-crack of dawn?!" Qrow waved his arms around and glared at his male teammate.

Tai sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you get woken up by that. I'll try to cut back once we get back." Qrow huffed and turned back to the TV screen.

**Jaune's shoulders slump. "Oohhhh..."**

**Oobleck zooms away. "Now! Moving on!"**

"Taiyang, I have to ask. Is Oobleck a Faunus?" Kali asked the blonde young man.

"No clue. We still don't know if his Semblance is Speed, he's high on the caffeine and sugar, or he's a Cheetah Faunus." Tai replied.

* * *

_**When the lesson ends, Pyrrha, Nora Valkyrie, and Lie Ren come out of the classroom, only for Pyrrha to stop near the doorway.**_

**"You go on ahead. I'll wait for Jaune." Pyrrha said to her other teammates. They look back inside as the after-class talk occurs to the two boys.**

**Oobleck sips his coffee. "You two have been struggling in my class since day one! Now, I don't know if it's a lack of interest, or just your stubborn nature, but whatever it is..." He takes a longer sip of his coffee. "It stops now! You've worked hard to gain entrance to this school, and we only accept the best of the best, **_**so**_** I expect you to act like it. History is important, gentlemen! If you can't learn from it... you're destined to repeat it. Pages fifty-one to ninety-one! I want an essay on my desk by next class! Now! Run along."**

"Damn, that's rough." Tai said.

"No kidding, that might be one of the worst ones I've gotten during first year." Qrow said, thinking about his punishments from some of the professors.

_**With that, he zooms out of the classroom and past a waiting Pyrrha in a green and white blur. Jaune comes out first, and Cardin emerges behind him, pushing him to the ground an emitting an "Ow!" from him that makes the bully laugh before walking away.**_

"Prick." Raven says.

**Pyrrha pulled Jaune back on his feet. "You know, I really will break his legs." Jaune sighs, and Pyrrha looks like she is struck by inspiration. "I have an idea! Here, come with me!" She grabs a confused Jaune by the arm and drags him along as she turns down the corridor.**

"Where do you think Pyrrha's taking him?" Summer asks.

"We will probably find out literally in the next scene, Summer." Raven deadpanned. The white-cloaked leader blushed.

* * *

_**A dejected Jaune and Pyrrha come onto a rooftop of one of the buildings, with a clear view of the glowing green orbs in the central tower of Beacon.**_

"See?" Raven turns to Summer.

"Yes." Summer muttered, her head slightly bowed and still blushing madly.

**"Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not **_**that**_** depressed." He looks over the edge of the roof, to the confusion of Pyrrha. "I can always be a farmer or something..."**

"Oh Gods! Please don't tell me he jumps!" Kali said, frightened for the blond teenager.

"No! I can't watch!" Summer screams as she covers her eyes.

Tai and Ghira watch in stunned horror, hoping and praying what they think might happen _doesn't_ happen.

Raven and Qrow are still. They are utterly frozen at the scene that takes place on the rooftop. Because, not so long ago, they have also been on that same rooftop. Both twins have the other's hand in a death grip. Their red eyes wide and their breath coming slowly.

**The realization hits her with horror. "N-n-no!" She dashes to push Jaune away from the edge. "That's not why I brought you up here!" The camera pans out to show the two on the roof as they talk with Cardin leaning in his windowsill right below them. "Jaune, I know you're having a difficult time in class and that you're still not the strongest of fighters, so... I want to help you!"**

All six of them sigh in relief that Jaune wouldn't jump off the roof. "Thank Gods." Kali, Summer, and the twins whisper. Tai and Ghira just close their eyes and try to breathe again after that horrible scare.

**"Wh-what?"**

**"We can train up here after class where no one can bother us!" Pyrrha said.**

"She wants to help him." Summer realized.

"Well, shouldn't she? They are partners after all." Ghira said.

"Yeah, they should. This is good. This could be good for him, for both of them." Summer said with a smile.

"Why would it be good for both of them?" Kali asked. "Pyrrha is a tournament champion."

"Yes, she is. But there is a difference. They are going to spar, getting them both accustomed to fighting each other and together. If they need to fight together wouldn't it be better if they knew each other's moves and could play off the other's strengths and cover their partner's weakness?" Summer asked.

Kali thinks about it. "I… yes, that is useful."

**"You think I need help?" Her partner asks.**

**"N-no! No, that's not what I meant."**

**"But you just said it." The blond frowned.**

**"Jaune, everybody needs a little push from time to time. It doesn't make you any different from the rest of us. You made it to Beacon! That speaks volumes of what you're capable of!"**

**Jaune turned away from her, lowering his head and voice. "You're wrong. I-I don't belong here."**

"Wha…" Tai couldn't even get the word out.

**"That's a terrible thing to say! Of course you do!" Pyrrha exclaimed.**

**Jaune turned back around, now angry. "No, I don't!" He sighs as Pyrrha looks bewildered and he reveals the truth. "I wasn't really accepted into Beacon..." Jaune turns his back to her so he doesn't have to face her.**

'_This is it! I knew something was off about this kid.'_ Raven thought as her eyes narrowed even more. Qrow just raised his eyebrow in curiosity. The others didn't really know how to react to that statement.

**"Wh-what do you mean?" Pyrrha whispered, fearful of his answer.**

**Jaune's voice got higher and higher as he confesses. "I mean I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests. I didn't **_**earn**_** my spot at this Academy!" He looks at her again. "I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!"**

Summer and Taiyang were shocked and gaping like fish. Kali and Ghira, as they have never been to a Huntsman Academy, but knew the laws about being accepted and the rules about cheaters, were also stunned.

Raven and Qrow on the other hand burst out laughing. "What?! That's it? I've heard and seen worse." Qrow said, as he had to wipe the tears that were at the corner of his eyes.

"No kidding! That's nothing. We can easily get some fake transcripts, it's not that hard. What I want to know is Ozpin had to have known immediately, so why is he keeping this kid at Beacon. That's what I don't get." Raven said. The twins looked over at their two other teammates and the two Faunus who were looking at them like they had just turned into Faunus.

"Huh?!" Summer yelled at the twins.

"Well yeah. Really, neither Rae nor I went to a combat school. Ozpin just happened to be in Anima, or one of the professors, and then the Chief gets a letter saying that we've been accepted into Beacon Academy." Qrow tells the group.

**Pyrrha was stunned. "What? But... why?"**

**"'Cause **_**this**_** is always what I've wanted to be!" He turns away yet again. "My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors! They were all heroes! I wanted to be one, too. I was just never good enough."**

"Wow, the way he phrases it, it's actually kinda sad." Tai said.

"All he wants is to be a hero." Kali said.

**Pyrrha approaches him, and places a hand on his shoulder. "Then let me help you!"**

**Jaune suddenly turns on her with mad frustration. "I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!"**

**Pyrrha can barely get his name out. "Jaune, I-"**

**"I'm **_**tired**_** of being the lovable idiot, stuck in the tree while his friends fight for their lives! Don't you understand? If I can't do this on my own... then what good am I?" He shakes his head as he says the last part.**

"Oh, Jaune." Kali said, feeling bad for him.

"Poor kid." Tai said.

"No wonder he tried so hard, this is his dream." Summer covered her mouth.

_**Pyrrha attempts to reach out for his arm and console him, but he leans back from her touch.**_

**"Just... leave me alone. Okay?" He whispered, closing his eyes.**

**Pyrrha's head was bowed, and sad. "If that's what you think is best..."**

_**She walks away, her footsteps getting softer and softer until she leaves the roof. Jaune paces a little until he hears a mocking laugh and Cardin appears on the roof from his window.**_

"Son of a bitch! This fucking ass needs to ruin everything now, doesn't he?" Tai muttered, getting angry again. Both Faunus were not happy to see Cardin back on the TV screen.

**"Oh, Jaune..."**

"Fuck you, you piece of shit." Qrow said.

**Jaune spun around, looking behind him at his bully. "Cardin!"**

"Shit, now Jaune'll be blackmailed probably. Or worse." Tai said.

"Most likely." Ghira said, shaking his head. He was disappointed in the blond boy, but he understood his dreams. Now they would have to see what this bully does to the blond, and how he handles it.

**"I couldn't help but overhear you two from my dorm room. So, you snuck into Beacon, huh? I gotta say, Jaune, I never expected **_**you**_** to be such a rebel!"**

**Jaune's voice took on a begging tone. "Please, Cardin, **_**please**_**, don't tell anyone!"**

**"Jaune, come on! I'd never rat on a friend like that!" Cardin smirked wickedly.**

**"A... a friend?" Jaune whispered with slight hope.**

"You're gonna get swindled." Qrow said.

**"Of course!" Cardin traps Jaune in a headlock under his arm despite his struggling. "We're **_**friends**_** now, Jauney boy! And the way I see it, as long as you're there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a **_**long**_** time." He finally releases Jaune, who gasps as he leans on the ground. "That being said, I really don't have time to do those extra readings Dr. Oobleck gave us today. Think you could take care of that for me, buddy?" The dark orange haired boy leans down to rub Jaune's hair and gets up with a grin) "That's what I thought." (He heads back to hang onto the edge. "Don't worry, Jaune; your secret's safe with me."**

"Fall, break your neck." Qrow snarled.

"That head rub was creepy. Anyone else think that, or was it just me?" Tai asked, wanting to genuinely know.

"No, that isn't just you. I was uncomfortable just watching." Ghira said.

_**Cardin drops back down to his room as Jaune rubs his neck in pain and worry.**_

"I want to know what happens next." Raven spoke up.

"Same, do we want to stop or continue?" Tai asked the others.

"I'm good with going on." Qrow shrugged, not really caring what they do.

"I want some food before we start the next video." Summer said, getting and going to the other room to get some food.

"I want to continue but I think we need to talk about the fact that Jaune's first reaction to being taken up to the roof was suicide." Kali said seriously.

They all stopped and looked at the Cat Faunus.

"Thankfully he didn't jump." Tai said.

"Yeah, but… Kali's right. His first instinct was to think about suicide, doesn't that usually scream 'very low self-esteem' and 'I'm about to hurt myself'?" Summer asked, coming back with a plate of food and setting it down on the small coffee table in front of the couches and seats.

"It's more complicated than that." Raven whispered. The other four turned to her. "His problems might have started when he was much younger, we just don't know. We don't know the full story, and that's where we need to be careful."

Raven's eyes stayed on her brother's as she said that. The others picked up on it, especially Summer and Tai. "Qrow…" Neither one of the STRQ members could even ask the question they wanted to.

Qrow ducked his head. He was shaking, he knew that. Tears streamed down his face as he couldn't even look at his teammates or the two Faunus in the room with them. Qrow Branwen was broken in more ways than one, and it would take a long time before he ever felt whole, happy, and safe again.

Summer and Tai's eyes widen in horror, as Summer and Kali start crying for Qrow. Tai and Ghira look at the dark haired male with sympathy and radiate understanding. The two females go over to Qrow and give him giant comforting hugs, Raven smiles at that, and joins in as well. As do Tai and Ghira.

They stay like that until all of the tears stop flowing and they go their separate ways for the night.


	17. V1C13: Forever Fall

**I'm sorry I have not been updating. Life is getting harder and as such I can only update when I have time, and I just needed a little bit of time to get myself organized with my life and now I'm back! So, on that note, here's the next chapter!**

* * *

The six adults came out of their respective rooms from the night. Everyone was on edge and wanting to see more of their future, but they were also worried with what they would be watching as seen in the last episode that the lives of their children will not be all well and good.

"Morning, did any of you sleep?" Summer asked politely as she went over to give Qrow and Raven a hug and get some breakfast.

"Tried to… wasn't really successful." Tai muttered. The twins didn't answer but were grateful for the hug from the silver-eyed woman.

"It was difficult, but we managed somehow." Kali said with a strained smile. Ghira just nodded and sat down heavily on one side of the couch. Kali came to sit next to him, set the plate of food down on the coffee table, and curled up into his embrace and closing her eyes.

Summer pressed the PLAY button on the remote to start the next episode of the volume.

**Forever Fall**

**The view of the Beacon Academy student dorms, where Pyrrha Nikos looks out the window sadly as Lie Ren loads StormFlower and Nora Valkyrie is jumping on her bed in the room for Team JNPR.**

**"How come Jaune gets home so late?" Nora asked with a small frown on her face.**

"She's worried." Summer said.

"Jaune is her teammate; of course she would be worried." Tai said.

**"He's become rather scarce since he started fraternizing with Cardin." Ren said, no emotion in his voice.**

"Anyone else get a creepy vibe from Ren?" Tai asked.

"He's not expressing any emotion." Raven said, they turned to look at her for an explanation about the dark haired teenager. "That is either a sign of severe mental and emotional trauma…. Or, he's hiding something big." Then as an afterthought, she added: "Or could be connected to his Semblance. Never know with how wide the spectrum can become."

The four adults in the room thought about what the older Branwen said and to them it made sense. Qrow on the other hand frowned.

"Both." He suddenly spoke up.

"What?" Kali asked, not understanding him.

"It's both, mental or emotional trauma of something to do in his past, _and_ some part of his Semblance." Qrow said, his red eyes shining. Raven hadn't seen Qrow this engaged in years, even when they were on missions involving really bad odds.

"How do you figure?" Raven asked, knowing where this conversation would turn to. She wanted to give Qrow an out if he wanted or needed one.

He smiled, showing his teeth. "Ren's Semblance came active because of his trauma and emotions, the most destructive emotion, the consuming feeling of guilt. So he hides his emotions, Ren pushes his feelings so far back into his mind, that he literally doesn't feel anything. And that can and _will_ lead to problems in the future. I have a bad feeling that when his trauma or something from his past is discovered by the girls… his mental block on his emotions will break and explode outward."

"That's not good. What do we do, then?" Ghira asked, wanting to help the teenager.

"We keep watching. The answers will come up eventually." Summer said firmly.

"Yes they will, one way or another." Raven muttered, glancing at Qrow. He shook his head and tuned back to watch the TV screen.

**"That's **_**weird**_**... Doesn't he know we have a field trip tomorrow? We need our rest!" The orange haired girl proclaims this while twirling in midair so her back hits the covers.**

**Pyrrha muttered angrily while thinking about Jaune. "I'm sure our leader knows **_**exactly**_** what he's doing."**

**Nora and Ren exchange glances, not knowing that Jaune himself is looking in through the crack of the door.**

**Nora pouts. "Mmmm... I guess so."**

**Jaune hangs his head and closes the door, just as a voice interrupts his thoughts.**

"Bad feeling anyone?" Tai asked the group. No one answered, they just watched what would happen next.

**"Hey, Jaune!" Startled, Jaune turns around to see Ruby in her pajamas, and she giggles at his reaction. "Long time, no see! Did you lock yourself out again?"**

"She's trying to help him." Kali said, and then she looks at Summer with a fond smile on her face. "You have raised a wonderful young woman, Summer."

Summer blushes but shakes her head sadly. "I don't know about that. I have no idea if I was even alive for her childhood; I could have died giving birth to Ruby for all we know." Summer said sadly, her head down as the mood dropped considerably.

"We will find out what happened to you and prevent it from happening." Tai said, squeezing Summer's hand in comfort and getting a smile in return from his team leader.

**"Oh, uh, nope!" Jaune raises his Scroll, attempting to laugh. "Got it!"**

**"So! Where have you been lately?" The dual-haired girl asked her friend.**

"Let's see what his response is." Qrow whispered as he felt his sister grab his hand and nod to him.

"No matter what, we will stay together. I swear it." Raven whispered in Qrow's ear, he nods back and leans into his older sister; she wraps an arm around him as the two siblings' lean back against each other.

**"I, uh..." He tries to come up with something, but just sighs and lowers his head. "I messed up. I did something I shouldn't have, and now Cardin has me on a leash, and Pyrrha won't even talk to me, and..." He breathes heavily through his nose. "I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea." The blond boy presses his back to his team's door and slides down to the floor in depression. "I'm a failure."**

All of the adults felt the blonde's depression. Qrow shivered and Raven held him close as he silently whimpered into her hold. Summer and Tai saw this and went over to the siblings to help their teammates.

**"Nope!" Ruby said with a smile.**

**Jaune looked at her in surprise. "'Nope?'"**

Tai cracked a smile, knowing where this was going.

**"Nope! You're a leader now, Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure." The younger girl said, putting a hand on his shoulder.**

Team STRQ chuckled at the scene. "He has all the help he could ever need." Tai said, proud of his daughter. Summer also was happy that Ruby was helping her friend with his problems.

**"But... what if I'm a failure at being a leader?" Jaune asked, sliding to the floor.**

**Ruby thinks about it for a moment, then gives her answer. "Nope!"**

"Uh… What's happening? Why are you laughing?" Kali asked.

"Just keep watching." Tai said with a grin on his lips.

**Jaune laughs as she joins him on the floor. "You know, you're not the easiest person to talk to about this kind of stuff."**

**"Nope! Jaune, maybe you were a failure when you were a kid..." Jaune groans and sinks lower to the ground. "... and you might've even been a failure the first day we met!" He groans and goes lower still. "But, you can't be one now. You know why?"**

**Jaune didn't know the answer to Ruby's question, so he just shook his head.**

**"Because it's not just about **_**you**_** anymore. You've got a team now, Jaune. We both do! And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us." **

**Ruby gets up and places her hands on her hips as she speaks. "We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, Jaune. And I think that can be you." She walks over to her door and opens it as Jaune, now slightly inspired by her words, watches her wave. "Have a good night, Jaune!" She goes inside. **

"She's good at that." Qrow said, giving a glance to Summer as she blushes.

"Ruby inspired her friend to be and do better than he has been doing, not for his own sake but for his friends and teammates. Your daughter is one of a kind, Summer, Taiyang." Ghira said, praising the two younger Hunters.

**With new energy, Jaune pushes himself off the ground and faces the door, ready to turn the knob and face his team, but his Scroll beeps and he pulls it off of his side to open it, seeing Cardin's contact relaying a message.**

"Oh, great. This dick." Qrow muttered.

"While I agree with you, why do you use such harsh language?" Kali asked.

"Grew up with bandits, did you forget." Qrow said. No one said anything, they just continued to watch.

**Cardin spoke on the Scroll. "**_**Hey! It's your buddy Cardin! I know you're probably busy with that Dust project I gave you, buuuut I'm gonna need you to go out and get me a bag of Rapier Wasps.**_**" Jaune makes a terrified sound in response. "**_**And make sure they've got some really big stingers! It's important, so don't screw this up!**_**"**

**Jaune closes his Scroll just when it begins to beep again. Sighing, he wearily heads down the hallway and away from his room.**

"That's not good. What use would Rapier Wasps be for him?" Summer asked, concerned for Jaune.

"I've got an idea, but it's not a pleasant one." Raven said, her eyes narrowed.

* * *

**An overhead shot of a forest bustling with red leaves and gray trunks is seen as the camera descends and shows Glynda leading teams RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL through the area.**

"Forever Fall." Summer said.

**Glynda was talking to the group. "Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so."**

"The tree sap assignment, I remember that one." Raven smiled as she glanced at Tai who was bright red in embarrassment. Kali and Ghira didn't bring attention to the red-faced young man; they just turned away from the team of student Hunters.

**The group stops, and Jaune, grunting and carrying a large case with six empty glass jars on top, tries to catch up with them and ends up bumping into Cardin. The bully scowls at Jaune, who attempts to feign innocence by whistling tunelessly.**

"Ass." Tai muttered.

"Let's see how he feels on the receiving end." Qrow hissed angrily.

"I agree." Raven and Qrow looked ready to kill Cardin.

**Goodwitch was still instructing her group, holding up a full jar of their objective. "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at 4 o'clock. Have fun!"**

**While Yang Xiao Long and her sister smile at one another, Jaune attempts to (noisily) sneak away from Cardin to his team, but the blackmailer sees this and grabs Jaune by the back.**

**"Come on, buddy - let's go!" Cardin says sharply.**

**Jaune miserably looks up at his team, where Nora and Ren are already walking into the forest's depths and Pyrrha is staring sadly at the scene. Dropping his gaze, Jaune turns and follows CRDL, to the disappointment of a sighing Pyrrha before she continues on.**

"What horrible excuse of Humans." Ghira said, Kali agreed with him, shaking her head sadly for the blond.

* * *

**Team CRDL is making themselves as comfortable as possible by leaning on stones, trees, and the ground while Jaune returns to the group with six full jars, setting them down just as he collapses face-down. The surrounding team gets up in response.**

**"Hey, great work, Jauney boy! Now that wasn't too hard, was it?" Cardin says, leaning against a tree.**

No one says anything, but they don't need to.

**Jaune was still on the ground, cross-eyed and sounding dizzy. "I think I'm allergic to this stuff..."**

"He seems to have some kind of reaction to the sap. That's not good." Kali said, adopting a more motherly tone.

**"Greeeeat, great, great. So, **_**Jaune**_**, I bet you're asking yourself, 'Why did my buddy Cardin ask me to collect **_**six**_** jars of tree sap when there's only **_**five**_** of us?'" Cardin asked the other teen, wrapping an oppressing arm around Jaune so he couldn't escape his grasp.**

"I don't have a good feeling about this." Summer said.

"None of us do, but all we can do is watch what happens." Ghira said, holding Kali's hand and sending a reassuring smile to Summer.

**Jaune nodded, still exhausted. "That is one of the many questions I have asked myself today, yes."**

**"Well, come with me, and you'll find out." The burnt-orange haired boy said with a cruel smile.**

_**Jaune moans and gulps in worry.**_

"Guys…" Qrow whispers. They look at him, his face says it all.

"Shit!" Raven swears.

"What's happening?" Ghira asks the team.

"My Semblance, it's active. You all need to get away from me!" Qrow says hysterically. He doesn't want anything to happen to Ghira, Kali or his team.

"What? Why now?" Kali hides her body slightly behind Ghira's larger frame.

"I don't know!" He says.

"Could it be because of what's happening with Jaune?" Summer asks her teammate.

Raven's eyes widen. "That's it! You need to calm down, Qrow. Your Semblance is based on your emotions, most, if not all Semblances are linked to the person's emotions! Just calm down and it should deactivate." Raven tells her brother.

Qrow breaths in and out for a few minutes trying to calm himself down. He feels that it was working but his Semblance was still active. Trying to thinking about his team and about Kali and Ghira helped him settle down and bring back his Semblance.

He opened his eyes, his team and new friends were looking at him with concern. "I'm okay now. Thanks, guys." He says, smiling to the five others.

They share a quick group hug to bring up the mood in the room so that Qrow's Semblance wouldn't get out of hand and accidentally hurt one of them.

* * *

**Now perched on a hilltop overlooking the other students, team CRDL - plus Jaune, squeezed between Cardin and Russel Thrush - peak their heads over the crest and watch as everyone is retrieving their samples of sap. Ren, kneeling to collect it from a tree, passes a full jar to Nora, who "Mmmm's!" at the gift as Ren trades it for the other jar in her care. He turns back to the tree and starts filling it up while several licking sounds are heard off-screen until the camera pans back to Nora, now with an embarrassed smile covered in red and an empty jar in her hands.**

"Shit." Tai swore.

"You fucker!" Qrow's red eyes filled with a dark fire that promised pain to the team of boys.

"Okay, that's it! When we get back we are killing them!" Raven snarled, pissed off and getting worried for her brother since they were the cause of his Semblance activating.

"Calm down, all of you!" Ghira shouted.

"These boys have not been born yet, and you are _not_ going to go out of your ways to find their parents and harming them." Ghira's golden eyes flash dangerously, showing that he was serious in stopping Qrow, Raven, and Tai in their endeavor.

**Jaune gulped, suddenly very scared. "Cardin, wh-what's going on?"**

**Cardin was still staring at the unsuspecting group sharply. "Payback."**

"Payback for what?!" Summer asked rhetorically.

**Jaune's ****eyes widen in understanding. "Pyrrha...?" The team leader of JNPR watches her gather more sap from a tree. "Wh-what are you-?"**

**Cardin pounds his fist on the ground. "That's the girl. Red-haired know-it-all, thinks she's so smart. Alright, boys..." He pulls out a buzzing cardboard box with a large "W" written on its sides. "Last night, old Jaune here managed to round up an entire box of Rapier Wasps, and now, we're gonna put him to work."**

"If they do that, they will be expelled for sure!" Kali said, looking to Summer for confirmation.

"Don't know about that, since Oz is lenient as hell." Qrow said.

"But Goodwitch isn't. She would never let this stand. She would implore Oz to kick them out or have then sent to jail." Tai said.

"If this works, then they will be surely be extreme consequences for them." Ghira said.

"_If_, key word in that sentence. I think that Jaune might surprise us very soon." Raven said.

**Russel grabs Jaune by the shoulder, who barely laughs in nervousness.**

**"Now, according to one of the essays you wrote for me last week, these nasty things **_**loooove**_** sweets. I'm thinking it's time we teach **_**her**_** a thing or two." Cardin said darkly.**

Everyone was on the edge of their seats, wanting to know what's going to happen to Pyrrha, Jaune, and Team CRDL.

**The members of CRDL get up. Cardin offers his hand to Jaune, only to painfully yank him up on his feet and shove the jar into his grasp.**

**"And **_**you're**_** gonna do it." The taller teen said as he slammed a jar of sap into Jaune's hands.**

"You are going to die, painfully. And slowly." Raven said, not worried about what Ghira would try and do to stop her. She didn't mind killing people, she's done it before, and so has Qrow.

**"Do what?" Jaune said, looking down at the sap in his hands.**

**"Hit her with the sap!" Cardin leans in close to Jaune's face. "Either that, or I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon."**

"Blackmail, what a pitiful way to control someone." Ghira said with his arms crossed, a snarl on his face.

**Jaune looks down at the jar of sap in his hands and then up at the four grinning teammates waiting to see what happens. Jaune turns towards the group and aims his throw at an oblivious and smiling Pyrrha, trying to steel his nerves and shaking hand to do the deed, but ultimately steels himself for what he's about to do.**

**"No."**

With that one word, the entire room's atmosphere changed into something triumphant.

"Hell yeah!" Tai pumped his fist, happy that his fellow blond was standing up for himself and his team.

**"What did you say?" Cardin asked darkly.**

**Jaune gripped the jar tightly. "I said... NO!"**

**He turns and throws the jar at Cardin, instantly recoiling his hands to himself as he looks at Cardin's breastplate covered in sap. The other team leader, however, just looks at himself and laughs darkly**_**.**_

**"Oh, you've done it now..." Cardin muttered darkly.**

**Jaune humorously laughs to himself once more with his hands still raised in an attempt for defense as Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark grab Jaune's shoulders and pull him in so his terrified eyes can fill the screen before it goes dark.**

"Shit! We need to know what happens next!" Qrow said.

"Yeah, let's go to the next one!" Tai said as he turned to Summer.

"Of course, are we all in agreement?" Summer asked.

Ghira and Kali nod, "Yes, we both want to know what happens. Let's continue." Kali said, her lips in a firm line.


	18. V1C14: Forever Fall Part 2

They played the next episode immediately, wanting to know what would happen to Jaune.

**Forever Fall Part 2**

**Jaune Arc is getting pushed to the ground of Forever Fall right after the events of the "Forever Fall", groaning as he looks up and sees a sap-covered Cardin looming over him. The bigger warrior picks Jaune up by his front and grins while punching him back to the ground.**

"Dick." Qrow mutters.

"Bulling and blackmailing someone like that, deplorable." Kali said, angry.

"Can Jaune survive this and grow from Cardin's bullying or will he crumble?" Raven asked the room. They all looked at her but didn't comment.

**"You **_**know**_** that wasn't very smart, Jauney boy." Cardin picks up a bruised Jaune again while the rest of Team CRDL watches. "I'm gonna make sure they send you back to mommy in teeny tiny **_**pieces**_**."**

Kali and Summer were shaking with rage that this Human boy was tormenting Jaune like this. They started taking a liking to the goofy boy and didn't want this for him.

**"I don't care what you do to me..." The blond teen looks at Cardin with fury. "... but you are not messing with my team."**

"Ozpin was right with making him the leader!" Summer said with a giant grin on her face.

"He cares for his team, that's the true quality of a leader that Oz looks for when he's picking the team leaders." Tai said, looking at Summer with a warm smile. The white-cloaked young woman blushes and playing with her multi-colored hair in embarrassment.

**Cardin looks momentarily shocked. "What? You think talk like that makes you tough? You think you're a big strong man now?"**

"No. He knows he's not. But he's protecting something more precious than himself. His team and others that can't protect themselves." Ghira said.

**Jaune smiles in defiance. An enraged Cardin roars and raises his fist again, but just as the hit connects, a bright light shines from Jaune, and when the white fades from the screen, Cardin is crying out in pain as he holds his hand. Jaune, now back on the ground but completely healed, looks confusedly at his hands as they faintly glow white. While he stares, though, Sky Lark kicks Jaune in the back and gets him on his stomach, but he looks up and glares at the approaching Cardin.**

**Cardin growled. "Let's see how much of a man you **_**really**_** are..."**

**Just as he says this, a low growl is heard, and a surprised Team CRDL turns around and sees a large paw crash onto the scene, belonging to a huge Ursa Major with dozens of jagged spikes sticking out from its wide back. It leaps forward and stands over the terrified students, lifting its head in the air to smell the sap on Cardin's breastplate. It lands back on its forelegs and roars at Cardin while his teammates heroically flee.**

"Cowards!" Raven and Qrow hissed, their red eyes narrow in utter disgust at Team CRDL.

**Russel stumbles and screams, "That's a big Ursa!"**

"Shit! That's an Ursa Major! This isn't good." Tai said, clenching his hands on the arm rest that he was sitting next to.

"Can they really win against that large Grimm?" Kali asked Team STRQ.

"If they work together, maybe." Summer said, unsure of how Jaune and Cardin would get out of this. Would they die in Forever Fall, or would they survive and become friends from this near-death experience?

**Cardin is rooted to the spot when the Grimm swings its claws and knocks him sideways, revealing Jaune cowering behind him. The Ursa continues to sniff, uninterested in Jaune and following its nose to Cardin. He watches at it towers over Cardin, who gets his wits and pulls out The Executioner only for the monster to swipe it away to Jaune's feet. He looks conflicted, wondering whether to fight or run away.**

"Moment of truth! Will he run or fight?" Qrow said.

"Fight!" Summer, Tai, and Kali all said together.

"Don't be so sure. His fight or flight instincts are kicking in right now. We have no idea what's going on through his head to be certain." Ghira said.

"Watch closely." Raven said, her arms over chest as she narrowed her eyes at the blond boy.

* * *

**Meanwhile, the roar of the giant Ursa is heard by the members of Teams RWBY and JNPR, still collecting sap on the other side of the forest.**

"Go! Help Jaune!" Summer shouted in fear for the blond boy.

"No, this is something he and Cardin need to do alone. They will either die or survive." Raven said.

"Are you insane? Do you want them to die?' Ghira asked the black haired younger woman.

"No, I want them to learn from this. A near-death experience is the best way to learn your strengths and weaknesses." Raven told him.

"She's right. This will tell us if Jaune is serious about being a Huntsman or if this was all just him trying to put on a brave face." Qrow said, agreeing with his sister.

**Ruby got up, concerned. "Did you guys hear that?"**

**Suddenly, the remaining members of Team CRDL are seen running the other way from the roar through the other students.**

**Russel looked back. "Ursa! Ursa!" He runs into Yang accidentally.**

**"What?!" Yang asked, completely unfazed by his collision, she picks him up by the front of his shirt. "Where?"**

"Wow, she's really strong." Kali said, as both she and Ghira looked to Taiyang and Raven.

"Future. We don't know how Yang or Ruby grew up, all we know is that Summer is dead and I'm MIA." Raven commented.

"Right, sorry." Kali said, rubbing the back of her neck.

**Russel was still struggling and still running in air, but points back from where they came. "Back there! It's got Cardin!"**

**Pyrrha dropped her jar of sap. "Jaune!"**

**Ruby immediately went into leader mode. "Yang! You and Blake, go get Professor Goodwitch!" Yang dropped Russel, as Yang and Blake nod before following the orders.**

"They care." Tai smiles.

"They're friends, what do you expect?" Qrow asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

**Pyrrha turned to Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie as she and Ruby activate their weapons. "You two, go with them! There could be more!"**

"Thank you!" Summer shouted in happiness.

"Sum, calm down. They wouldn't leave a friend behind to die. I don't think that Ruby would ever do that if you're her mother." Qrow said.

"We still don't know when I died, Qrow. All we know is that Tai took care of both girls after both Raven and I… were gone." Summer said, looking down and closing her eyes. She tried to stop the tears from starting, but couldn't as she thought about how Ruby and Yang grew up without a mother-figure around.

* * *

**Cardin is attempting to run from the following Ursa, but it leaps over its prey and claws him away. He tries to get up and crawl away.**

**"**_**Crap!**_** Crap, crap!" Cardin was scared out of his mind.**

**Pyrrha, Ruby, and Weiss come on to the scene. "Oh, no!" Pyrrha whispered in horror.**

"What are you going to do?" Raven asked under her breath, though Qrow and Kali heard her.

They all watch in anticipation for what's going to happen next.

**They watch as the Ursa leans over the helpless victim, raising its paw and swiping it down... only to be blocked by Jaune's shield, Crocea Mors. He struggles to defend a stunned Cardin from its attempts to lean on him, but Weiss lifts Myrtenaster as she prepares to go help.**

**Pyrrha grabs Weiss's arm. "Wait!"**

Everyone is on the edge of their seats, sans Raven and Qrow. They were leaning back and watching with blank expressions, waiting for the aftermath.

**Jaune takes the shield out from the Ursa's paw and slashes at its stomach, causing it to lash out and try to crush him. He rolls out of the way and jumps over its swipe at his feet, but he is unprepared for when it launches a claw at him in midair. He lands far away, yet is immediately back on his feet and passing Cardin as he charges again. The Ursa knocks Jaune behind it when he tries for a leaping attack, and he looks at the Scroll in his shield to find out that his Aura level is in the red. He grows angry again and starts to run at the Ursa as it also begins to dash towards him.**

**As they are just about to clash in slow-motion, Pyrrha sees that Jaune has left himself completely open to the Ursa's attack, and lifts her hand out to him, gathering dark red energy in her arm. Just as the Ursa is about to hit him, the glow surrounds Jaune's shield and makes it lift up to block the swipe. Jaune uses the surprise defensive move to lean on the ground, push his shield back up, and swing his blade right through the Ursa's neck. The head falls to the ground as the body slams onto the ground.**

Semblance!" Tai said.

"Something with metal, by the looks of it." Summer said.

'_She can control metals. Polarity, possibly. That's interesting, wonder how far it can take her.'_ Raven thinks, the twins glance at each other not needing to talk to communicate.

**Pyrrha's hand stops glowing and she smiles. "Uhhh... What?" Ruby asked, confused by what she just saw Pyrrha do.**

**Weiss was equally amazed. "How did you...?"**

"What could her Semblance be?" Ghira asked.

**"Well, Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs. My Semblance is polarity." Pyrrha said, smiling at the two girls.**

'_I knew it!'_ Raven grinned. Qrow snorted and smiled as well.

**Ruby's eyes were big. "Whoa, you can control **_**poles**_**..."**

"Definitely your daughter, Summer." Raven teased her team leader. Summer laughed and rubbed her neck sheepishly.

**Weiss shook head. "No, you dunce! It means she has control over magnetism!"**

**Ruby was still impressed, whispering. "Magnets are cool, too..."**

They all laughed at Ruby's antics.

**Weiss noticed Pyrrha start to leave. "Wait, where are you going?"**

**"Yeah! We gotta tell them what happened!" Ruby said.**

Summer hummed and smiled, knowing what Pyrrha was trying to do for Jaune.

**"We could... Or perhaps we could keep it our little secret?" Pyrrha walks away again as Ruby and Weiss smile to each other in understanding as a bruised Jaune sheathes his weapon before going over to Cardin, not noticing Pyrrha, Ruby, or Weiss had seen what had just happened.**

"Mini-Ice Queen might be able to change after all." Qrow said, looking to Ghira and Kali.

"Perhaps we misjudged Weiss Schnee. She may not be like her father as we previously thought." Ghira and Kali hold each other's hands and nod to each other.

**Cardin, still covered in sap, looks up at Jaune as his savior offers a hand. Cardin smiles as he takes it and is lifted back up on his feet.**

**"Holy crap, Jaune!" Cardin says in shock.**

**"Don't **_**ever**_** mess with my team - my friends - **_**ever**_** again." Jaune says threateningly and stares Cardin dead in the eye. "Got it?"**

"So I was right. They did survive and have grown from this." Raven smiled as she was right.

**Cardin looks intimidated, and possibly even apologetic. With his order spoken, Jaune turns and walks away from a frozen Cardin.**

* * *

**Later that night, on top of the dorm building, a uniformed Jaune stands on the edge and looks into the distance at the green lights of Beacon.**

**Pyrrha asks her partner, "No Cardin tonight?" (She walks to his side. "I thought you two were best buds?"**

**Jaune turned to her. "Pyrrha... I'm sorry. I was a jerk! You were only trying to be nice, and... I had all this stupid macho stuff in my head-"**

"He's going to ask for help, finally." Ghira said.

"Yes he will." Summer said with a warm smile as she looked at Pyrrha and Jaune. _'They would be cute together.'_ Summer thought.

**"Jaune! It's okay!" The redhead said as they smile at one another, she adds**_**:**_** "Your team really misses their leader, you know." She begins to walk to the exit. "You should come down! Ren made pancakes! No syrup, though - you can thank Nora for that!"**

"Team bonding! We're doing that when we get back to Beacon!" Summer said enthusiastically.

Tai laughed as Raven and Qrow groaned. "No! Please no, Summer." Qrow said, his head in his hands.

**Jaune smiles, but holds out his hand and calls out**_**:**_** "Wait!" Pyrrha turns around, and Jaune looks sheepish. "I know I don't deserve it after all that happened, but... would you still be willing to help me... to help me become a better fighter?"**

"Finally, he got out of that stupid macho phase!" Ghira said with a smile as Kali giggles at her boyfriend.

**Pyrrha turns around so a worried Jaune won't see her satisfied smile. She goes up to Jaune and suddenly pushes her leader to the ground.**

**Jaune whined as he was on the ground. "Hey!"**

**Pyrrha was standing over him with her arms on her hips and an evaluating tone. "Your stance is all wrong. You need to be wider and lower to the ground." She offers him her hand, which he graciously accepts, and they continue to hold on to and grin at each other. "Let's try that again."**

"The happy ending they deserve!" Summer squealed.

"Not done yet. We still have two more episodes to watch for Volume 1 and listen to the soundtrack. And we still have a long way to go before we finish watching." Qrow warned Summer.

She visibly deflated and pouted at him. "Meanie."

"What are you? A little kid?" Raven asked, watching her leader with furrowed brows.

"You should know that Summer may look like an adult but she's a child at heart." Taiyang said as he got up and went to the food room to get something to eat. They all followed him to get something to eat as well.


	19. V1C15: The Stray

The six adults ate lunch before they continued to watch and finish up the first volume of the future that they were watching.

**The Stray**

**The streets of Vale were being decorated in time for the Vytal Festival. Red, yellow, and green streamers and balloons are proudly on display, and Team RWBY is strolling through it all with an awed Weiss Schnee in the front. A sign is being put up by the elderly Shopkeep that reads in bright red letters "WELCOME TO VALE!" for all the foreign newcomers from their respective kingdoms of Remnant.**

"It's already the Vytal Festival? Isn't it really early? How much time has already passed for them?" Summer asked, concerned.

**Weiss stopped and raising her arms in amazement. "The Vytal Festival! Oh, this is absolutely **_**wonderful**_**!"**

**"I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much, Weiss." Ruby frowns a little. "It's kinda weirding me out..."**

Taiyang and Qrow laughed at Ruby's comment to Weiss.

"It's so true!" Qrow said.

**Weiss turned to Ruby. "How could you **_**not**_** smile? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances! Parades! A tournament! Oh, the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breathtaking!" They continue walking.**

"That is true. The Vytal Festival is beautiful." Summer said. Kali smiled and both Faunus with Team STRQ agreed with the white-cloaked leader.

**Yang sighs, and her arms crossed over her chest. "You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring."**

"That's a Schnee for you. Sucking out all of the fun in everything." Qrow said, Raven wacked him over his head. "OW! What the hell was that for?"

"Stop it. You agreed to give the girl some slack." Raven said with a pointed glare.

"Yeah, _some slack_, not all." Qrow said back to his sister.

"Can you two not fight? Is that too much to ask for?" Ghira complained.

Both twins glanced at each other and pouted a little. "I swear, they like to act all tough, but in reality they are children." Tai muttered. Summer slapped his shoulder as a warning to shut up.

**"Quiet, you!" Weiss said angrily.**

**As they stop near the docks and the sounds of foghorns are heard, Yang says: "Remind me again why we're spending our Friday afternoon visiting the stupid docks?"**

**Ruby covers her nose at the bad smell of the docks. "Ugh, they smell like fish!"**

"Not the worst thing we've had to smell." Qrow whispered.

"No kidding." Raven said, remembering all of the raids they went on before they went to Beacon.

**"I've heard that students visiting from Vacuo will be arriving by ship today. And, as a **_**representative**_** of Beacon, I feel as though it is my **_**solemn**_** duty to welcome them to this **_**fine**_** kingdom!" Weiss said, turning back around and kept walking.**

**As Weiss starts walking away again, Blake comments,****"She wants to spy on them so she'll have the upper hand in the tournament."**

**Weiss scoffs. "You can't prove that!"**

"She's slowly changing." Kali whispered to Ghira.

"Yes, but how far will it go until it stops and she reverts back to what she has always known?" Ghira questioned.

"Weiss will surprise us all, I can feel it." Kali defended the Schnee girl.

"Why are you defending her so much, Kali?" Ghira asked his girlfriend.

"Everyone is capable of change, Ghira. I truly believe that Weiss can change and become a better person."

**Ruby turns her head to the right. "Whoa." The team looks at a shattered window down the street and a door full of yellow caution tape of the Vale Police Force before walking over to the detective in front, who is writing on his pad. "What happened here?"**

**"Robbery. Second Dust shop to be hit this week. This place is turning into a jungle." The first detective walks over to his partner.**

"Is it Torchwick? Why does someone need this much Dust?" Tai asked.

"It's for nothing good. That much we know." Raven said.

**Yang sighs**_**. **_**"That's terrible."**

**The second detective spoke to his partner. "They left all the money again."**

**Ruby turns her head when she hears this. "Huh?"**

"Yep, they're after the Dust. They don't care about the money." Qrow said. Something wasn't right with all of this, whatever it was…. It was giving Qrow a bad vibe. He knew that this wasn't his Semblance at work, he would feel it. This was something else, something more sinister. The male thought back to that creepy female voice that they had heard in the beginning of this. He shivered and closed his eyes.

**"Yeah, just doesn't make a lick of sense. Who needs that much Dust?" The first detective said.**

**"I don't know, an army?" the second detective questioned.**

**"You thinking the White Fang?" The first asked.**

'_No, not the White Fang. It's got to be Torchwick.'_ Raven thought.

'_What happened to the White Fang? Did I step down? Did I die?'_ Ghira glanced at his girlfriend and sighed.

**The second detective removes his sunglasses. "Yeah, I'm thinking we don't get paid enough."**

**"Hmph! The White Fang." Weiss crossed her arms and pointing her nose in the air with her eyes closed. "What an awful bunch of degenerates!"**

Ghira clenched his fists in anger at hearing Weiss say that about the White Fang.

"Ghira…" Kali put a calming hand on his arm.

"No, Kali! How can you say she can change after hearing that?!" Ghira yelled.

"She was raised in a way that anyone was beneath her. You cannot fault her for that! She was raised in a horrible environment, with a controlling father! Jacques Schnee is a horrible influence, especially on his own children!" Kali shouted.

The team of Huntsmen-in-training stopped and tried to stop the two Faunus from ripping each other apart, figuratively speaking, that is.

"Stop!" Summer commanded, the two Faunus and her team froze. Tai, Qrow, and Raven have only heard Summer use that tone when they were in a bad situation and if she was truly angry.

Kali and Ghira turned to the small woman with her blazing silver eyes burning into them. "Both of you stop! You both have problems with the Schnee family, and I understand that. You both have problems with the White Fang being insulted as well as your people, I get it! But you cannot fight like this, you love each other, you have a daughter together in the future! Now if you want to see how Blake grows up, then sit down and let's continue to watch."

**"What's **_**your**_** problem?" Blake shouted.**

**Weiss turns to her. "**_**My**_** problem? I simply don't care for the criminally insane."**

Both Faunus needed to restrain themselves as to not attack the TV screen in anger.

**"The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths." Blake crossed her arms, getting serious. "They're a collection of misguided Faunus."**

**"Misguided? They want to wipe Humanity off the face of the planet!" Weiss shouted back.**

"Something really bad happens in the future to make the White Fang go from a civil movement to a terror organization." Taiyang said, worried about the two Faunus and how they were holding up with all of this.

**"So then they're **_**very**_** misguided. Either way, it doesn't explain why they would rob a Dust shop in the middle of downtown Vale!" Blake shouted at Weiss.**

**"Hmm... Blake's got a point. Besides, the police never caught that Torchwick guy I ran into a few months ago... Maybe it was him." Ruby pointed out.**

"Most likely, but how would they prove that it was Torchwick, and not the White Fang?" Raven asked.

**Weiss scoffed. "That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum. Those Faunus only know how to lie, cheat, and steal."**

Ghira snarled in rage, his yellow eyes glowing in pure malice.

**Yang protested slightly. "That's not necessarily true..."**

**"Hey, stop that Faunus!" A sailor shouted.**

**As the team overhears the cry for help and rush over to investigate, a Faunus with a golden monkey tail named Sun Wukong is seen running down the length of the boat and leaping on to the edge as the two sailors are about to apprehend him.**

**Sun looked back at his pursuers. "Thanks for the ride, guys! Haha!" He jumps off and hits the dock running.**

**"You no-good stowaway!" Another sailor shouted at the Monkey Faunus.**

**Sun used his tail to hang on a lamppost while he peels back a banana. "Hey! A **_**no-good**_** stowaway would've been caught! I'm a **_**great**_** stowaway!" Before he eats, one of the detectives down below throws a stone at him to get his attention.**

"That's a pretty neat way to use your Faunus trait." Qrow said looking at Sun with a smile.

**"Hey! Get down from there this instant!" One of the detectives shouts up at him.**

**Sun drops the banana peel on the detective's face, who growls in return. The monkey-like Faunus twirls up to crouch on the lamppost, laughs in amusement, and proceeds to leap off and run away from the detectives. As he runs past Team RWBY, he winks at an astonished Blake in slow motion before time speeds up again and he continues to be chased by the officers.**

They all laugh at Sun's antics with the detectives.

"Uh? What was that?" Tai asks the two Faunus, wondering if they would know.

"Sun knows that Blake's a Faunus. We can tell, even if some are hiding their Faunus trait." Kali informed the Human team.

**Yang watches the Faunus get farther and farther away. "Well, Weiss, you wanted to see the competition, and there it goes..."**

**Weiss shouts, "Quick! We have to observe him!"**

**Weiss, Yang, and Ruby give chase. Blake stands still, lost in thought, then comes back to reality and follows her friends. The team rounds the next corner, but then Weiss bumps into someone and trips. She looks up only to see Sun jump on to a building and disappear from her view.**

**"No, he got away!" Weiss yelled, and then sighs in frustration.**

**"Uhh... Weiss?" Yang points strangely at the girl underneath her teammate.**

"What?" Tai asked. No one had an answer for him about the odd girl who Weiss had crashed into.

**Weiss finally sees that she fell on a smiling girl, who startles the heiress and she hastily gets up.**

**Penny, who was still down on the ground, smiled widely. "Sal-u-ta-tions!"**

"Uh…?" No one could say anything, they were all confused by the new girl and her odd mannerisims.

**"Um... hello." Ruby said hesitantly.**

**Yang glances at Ruby and then asks, "Are you... okay?"**

**Penny smiles, "I'm wonderful! Thank you for asking."**

"This girl is weird. Even more than the usual." Qrow said.

"Something… something's off about her." Kali suddenly said, they turned to her.

"What do you mean?" Summer asked. Raven also noticed something odd about the girl.

"I don't think she's fully human." Kali says.

"Wait… WHAT?!" They all shout with the expectation of Ghira and Raven, both of which just stare at the Cat Faunus with looks of pure shock.

"So she's a Faunus?" Tai asked.

"No… I don't think so. But she isn't human, I'm sure of that." The woman said.

"She's right. The girl, her mannerisms aren't normal. They seem artificial." Raven commented.

"So she's a robot?" Qrow asked his sister.

"I don't know." Raven muttered, narrowing her eyes to stare at Penny.

**The team looks at each other in bewilderment before Yang speaks up again. "Do you... wanna get up?"**

**Penny thinks about this for a moment. "Yes!" She leaps back on her feet while the team steps back a little. "My name is Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you!"**

Summer smiles softly. "She's already making new friends."

**"Hi Penny. I'm Ruby."**

**"I'm Weiss."**

"At least she's not acting like a spoiled little girl right now." Qrow said. Tai wacked his arm. "Ow!"

"Stop it. Also, I didn't hit you that hard. Stop being a baby." Tai shook his head while chuckling a bit.

"You may think that, but your hits hurt, Tai!"

**"Blake."**

**"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Blake hits her side. "Oh, I'm Yang."**

"Only your kid can be that directly insensitive, Rae." Qrow said, Raven's lips formed a flat line as she had to stop herself from opening a portal on the ceiling and dropping her brother out of it.

**"It's a pleasure to meet you!"**

**Weiss frowned. "You already said that."**

**Penny pauses again. "So I did!"**

**"Well, sorry for running into you!" Weiss said as they turn around and start walking away.**

"She's… being oddly cordial." Kali said.

"She has too. She has no idea who Penny is and she wants to make a good impression." Summer said.

**Ruby waved her arm. "Take care, friend!"**

Tai and Summer had huge smiles on their faces at seeing Ruby connect so quickly to new people. Kali was also happy for Ruby and her new friends.

**When they get far enough away from a startled Penny, Yang said: "She was... **_**weird**_**..."**

**Weiss looked to her right. "Now, where did that Faunus riff-raff run off to?"**

"And there she goes again." Kali whispered.

**Penny was suddenly in front of a surprised Weiss. "What did you call me?"**

**Weiss looks back and forth in shock and Yang looks apologetic. "Oh, I'm really sorry, I definitely didn't think you heard me!" The blonde said in the place of her teammate.**

"Wow, she's really making it hard for us _not_ to see her as a spoiled little brat." Qrow said, scrunching his nose at the Schnee girl.

**"No, not you." Penny walks through the group and leans her head down to Ruby. "You!"**

**Ruby was completely startled. "**_**Me?**_** I-I don't know. I, what I, um, uh..."**

**Penny's green eyes narrowed. "You called me 'friend'! Am I **_**really**_** your friend?"**

Summer grinned and squealed.

**"Uuuum..." Ruby looks over Penny's shoulder while her teammates motion to deny her. "Y-Yeah, sure! Why not?"**

**Ruby's teammates comically faint, but Penny looks overjoyed and laughs, "Sen-sational! We can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys!"**

"Throwing Weiss' words back at her, but this time, it's Penny and she's actually genuine." Tai said.

**Ruby groaned to Weiss as she brushes herself off. "Oh, is this what it was like when you met me?"**

The males laughed loudly, while the girls grinned and smirked.

**Weiss shook her head."No - she seems **_**far**_** more coordinated."**

**Yang asked what the team was thinking to themselves. "So... what are you doing in Vale?"**

**Penny grinned. "I'm here to fight in the tournament."**

"Gotta be from Atlas then." Raven said.

"But why?" Qrow asked. "You said it yourself, Rae. Her mannerisms are odd for anyone. If she really is a robot, which would be cheating and might even break the Vytal Treaty of peace that the Kingdoms sighed after the Great War." Qrow continued.

"So… If what Raven said it true, if Penny is a robot…. Then a war is likely to start because of the controversy. Seeing as Atlas is the most technological advanced Kingdom…. They would be responsible if war were to break out and it might even turn into a second Great War." Summer said, now deeply concerned.

All six adults hoped, prayed, that war wouldn't come. That Atlas wouldn't be this egotistical to think that they could get away with this.

"Well… that brought down the mood." Qrow muttered.

**"Wait, **_**you're**_** fighting in the tournament?" Weiss asked, pointing at Penny.**

**Penny saluted. "I'm combat ready!"**

**Weiss scoffed. "Forgive me, but you hardly look the part."**

**Blake deadpanned. "Says the girl wearing a dress."**

**Weiss had her arms crossed over her chest. "It's a combat skirt!**

**Ruby ****speeds over to Weiss' side. "Yeah!" Weiss holds out her hand and Ruby low-fives it.**

Summer and Tai quietly glance and chuckle at Ruby's antics with Weiss.

**Realization hit Weiss. "Wait a minute." She walks over to Penny and grabs her by the shoulders. "If you're here for the tournament, does that mean ****you know that monkey-tailed... rapscallion?"**

Kali, Ghira, Raven, and Qrow all raised an eyebrow at Weiss' odd wording to describe the Monkey Faunus.

**"The who...?" Penny asked, confused.**

**Weiss held up a poor drawing of the criminal-in-question. "The filthy Faunus from the boat!"**

The four humans were really getting sick and tired of Weiss saying that about Faunus. Kali and Ghira were ready to kill the Schnee girl for all that she was saying about their people.

**Blake shouted at Weiss. "Why do you keep saying that?!"**

**Weiss turned her attention from Penny to Blake. "Huh?"**

**Blake was walking over to Weiss, angry. "Stop calling him a rapscallion! Stop calling him a degenerate! He's a person!"**

"Blake." Tai said softly. _'She probably feels responsible in some way. She's a Faunus, but she's hiding who she is so she isn't thought of any differently than her __teammate, just because they are Human.'_ Tai thought.

**"Oh, I'm sorry." Weiss releases Penny and motions to objects around her. "Would you like me to stop referring to the trash can as a trash can? Or this lamppost as a lamppost?"**

"Bitch, that is so _not_ the same thing and you know it!" Qrow hissed, his rust-red eyes glaring daggers at the Schnee heiress. If looks could kill, Weiss would be dead before she was even born.

**"Stop it!"**

**"Stop **_**what**_**? He clearly broke the law. Give him time; he'll probably join up with those other Faunus in the White Fang!" Weiss said, gesturing with her hands.**

'_What in the world happened to the White Fang? What changed?' _Kali thought desperately, trying to not cry tears of anger.

**Blake growls, clenching her fists. "You ignorant little **_**brat**_**!"**

**Weiss looks offended, but when Blake walks away, she follows. "How dare you talk to me like that! **_**I**_** am your teammate!"**

**"**_**You**_** are a judgmental little girl." Blake pointed and pushed Weiss.**

**Weiss frowns, "What in the world makes you say that?"**

**"The mere fact that you would sort that Faunus boy with a terrorist group solely based on his species makes you just as much of a scoundrel as you believe him to be!" Blake yelled out.**

**Yang slid up to Ruby, looking uncomfortable. "Um, I think we should probably go..."**

**Penny popped up behind Ruby, smiling. "Where are we going?"**

**Weiss smiles, triumphant. "So you admit it! The White Fang **_**is**_** just a radical group of terrorists!"**

**Blake narrowed her amber eyes. "That's not what I meant, and you know it!"**

"The fact that she's putting every Faunus into that category is astounding. Truly, she doesn't see the problem with saying any of that, because to her, it normal. Natural even, to say that about Faunus and be commended for it, not condemned." Ghira said sadly, thinking about all of the Faunus in Atlas and how they were suffering.

* * *

**As Yang and Ruby continue to observe, the scene shifts from afternoon near the docks to nighttime in their dorm room.**

**"I don't understand **_**why**_** this is causing such a problem!" Weiss said, truly not knowing why Blake was acting like this.**

**"That **_**is**_** the problem!"**

**Weiss got up from her bed. "You realize you are defending an organization that hates Humanity, don't you? The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!"**

"The only thing that is pure evil in the world is Grimm. If she's comparing us to the Grimm…. I don't know if she truly _can and wants_ to change." Kali said, looking between Ghira and the others.

**Blake gets on her feet as well. "There's no such thing as pure evil! Why do you think they hate Humanity so much? It's because of people like Cardin, people like **_**you**_**, which force the White Fang to take such drastic measures!"**

**"People like **_**me**_**?"**

**Blake shouted, "You're discriminatory!"**

**"I'm a victim!" As they stare each other down in silence, Weiss leans in close, leering as she speaks quietly. "You want to know **_**why**_** I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus?" The white haired girl was now leaning against the bookshelf by the window. "It's because they've been at war with my family for years. War, as in **_**actual**_** bloodshed. My grandfather's company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember. And ever since I was a child, I've watched family friends disappear; board members executed; an entire train car full of Dust, stolen. And every day, my father would come home, furious. And that made for a very difficult childhood." She bangs her fist on the bookshelf.**

Kali and Ghira's eyes widen in horror. "Wha… What happened… What…?"

Team STRQ was also shocked, though the twins hid it better than their leader and Tai. "Weiss does have a legitimate reason to hate the White Fang, but not all Faunus."

**Ruby walked towards her, going over to comfort her. "Weiss, I-"**

**"No!" Weiss turns away and walks back over to Blake. "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? It's because they're a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!"**

**"Well maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!" Blake screamed out, her eyes narrowing into slits.**

Kali gasped, tears streaming from her own amber eyes. Summer and Ghira looked at the Cat Faunus in shock. "I… Kali…" Summer tried but the woman ran out of the room, sobbing.

The others silently agreed to give Kali and Ghira their space until they were comfortable coming back. Ghira had also left, either to check on his girlfriend or to seek out his own space for the time being.

Team STRQ didn't speak, they all just went into the heads and thought about all they had just seen. How scared Blake was about revealing her Faunus nature, her anger toward Weiss about the White Fang, and everything else.

After half an hour Ghira came back stone-faced, but they all could see dried tear tracks on his cheeks. Waiting in silence for Kali, she came back after 45 minutes. She was still crying, but it wasn't full-blown sobbing that she had done when she had left. Both Faunus curled into each other and held each other for comfort.

Team STRQ didn't interfere or say anything about it, they just turned back to the TV screen and began watching again.

**Silence drops down on the scene again. A surprised Weiss backs away slowly, and Blake realizes her mistake as she looks around at her teammates.**

**"I... I..." The, now revealed, Faunus dashes out the door.**

**"Blake, wait! Come back!" Ruby runs over to the door and calls to her down the hallway as Yang sits herself down and Weiss looks down.**

'_Is this the fear that Faunus have to carry every day? Do all of them fear rejection from those they care about if they aren't Faunus themselves?'_ Tai thought to himself, looking at the two Faunus in the room.

Summer looked down sadly, while Raven and Qrow closed their eyes and sighed.

* * *

**Blake runs outside and arrives at a statue of an armored man with a sword and a hooded woman wielding an axe on an outcropping, staring at the Beowolf under the stone heroes in particular.**

**She closes her eyes and slowly lifts her arms up to her bow and pulls the string to release the bow from her hair. She wipes away a tear away as the camera pulls up to reveal her Faunus ears. On the verge of crying, she becomes startled when she hears a voice above her.**

Ghira and Kali gasp, both crying at how much Blake looks like Kali and her suffering.

**"I **_**knew**_** you would look better without the bow." Sun said.**

**She turns around and looks up.**

* * *

**The scene shifts to morning at Beacon. Ruby wakes up from her beauty sleep, yawning in the process. She looks over at Blake's empty bunk, and groans sadly.**

* * *

**The scene then shifts again to Ruby, Weiss, and Yang walking through the empty streets of Vale.**

**"She's been gone all weekend..." Ruby said sadly.**

**"Blake's a big girl, I'm sure she can handle herself!" Weiss said, anger in her posture.**

**Yang turned to look at Weiss, "Weiss, come on. She's one of our teammates."**

**Weiss raised an eyebrow, "Is she? We all heard what she said!"**

**Ruby sighed. "Weiss."**

**"Maybe she is, maybe she isn't. Either way, she's missing, and we need to find her!" Yang said, worried for her partner.**

"At least your daughters are worried about Blake. Thank you, Summer, Raven, Tai." Ghira said to the three parents of Ruby and Yang.

Summer and Tai blushed and nodded, happy to see Ghira's little smile. Raven flinched at being so casually addressed, but nodded as well.

**Weiss' eyes were wide, "A member of the White Fang! Right underneath our noses!"**

**Ruby looked down. "I just hope she's okay..."**

* * *

**Elsewhere, Blake is sipping a cup of tea and sighing. She looks up at Sun sitting across from her, who holds his drink with his tail as his hand props his head up. He takes a sip when Blake puts her cup down.**

**"So, you want to know more about me..."**

"That's it. Do you two want to continue?" Summer asked the two Faunus still embracing.

"Yes, we would like to know what happens with Blake." Ghira said. The four others didn't argue, just started up the next episode.


	20. V1C16: Black and White

They didn't say anything, just started the next episode immediately, wanting to know what's going to happen to Blake and the others.

**Black and White**

**Sun Wukong and Blake Belladonna sat on the balcony of a café in the middle of Vale and were seen last episode drinking tea.**

**"Finally, she speaks! Nearly two days and you gave me nothing but small talk and weird looks!" Blake gives Sun a firm look. "Yeah, like **_**that**_**."**

Kali laughs at Sun, but smiles. She likes the fact that Blake is slowly opening up to someone, even if it isn't her team.

**Blake rolls her eyes before closing them and looking at him sadly. "Sun... Are you familiar with the White Fang?"**

Kali and Ghira both freeze. This is it; this is what they wanted to know. What happened to the White Fang, what made it change so drastically?

**"Of course! I don't think there's a Faunus on the planet who hasn't heard of them. Stupid, holier-than-thou creeps that use force to get whatever they want. Bunch of freaks, if you ask me!" Sun said, angry at the White Fang.**

The twins eyed Ghira as they saw him tense and his eyes widen in shock. Summer and Tai furrowed their brows in concern for the two Faunus.

"Are you sure you want to do this? This might not be something you want to hear." Summer said.

"No, Summer. We need to know what happened so we can fix it. If we want to change the future for our children's sake, then… we need to watch this and figure out a way for this to not happen." Kali shook her head, but smiled warmly at the white-cloaked woman.

**Blake sips her drink while listening until she speaks up for the big reveal. "I was once a member of the White Fang."**

All four Humans stare at Kali and Ghira in shock. "Does that mean what I think it means?" Ghira asks his girlfriend.

"Maybe? I think so." The two Faunus ignored the humans for the time being, willing to explain everything once they finished watching this episode.

**Sun promptly goes cross-eyed and chokes on his drink, making him put it down and wipe his mouth as he holds up a hand to process this information. "Wait a minute, you were a member of the White Fang?!"**

**Blake nods, "That's right. I was a member for most of my life, actually. You could almost say I was born into it..."**

"Ghira!" Kali beams at him.

"So that means that… When Blake is born I'm still the High Leader." Ghira said.

"You're the leader of the White Fang?" Tai asked.

"Yes, I am. Though, this confirms that even though I'm not the leader anymore, I'm still alive." Ghira tells the group.

"Well, damn. Wasn't expecting that." Qrow muttered.

**The scene shifts to a simple silhouetted flashback of fallen weapons plunged into the ground - swords, guns, any number of combinations.**

**Blake started explaining the history of the White Fang. "Back then, things were different. In the ashes of war, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and unity between Humans and the Faunus."**

"That's what it should still be." Ghira said, mostly to himself.

**The audience is shown the dark outlines of two trios - animal-eared and tailed Faunus on one side, regular Humans on the other - shaking hands and making peace after their struggle. This does not last long, as seen by a white Faunus cowering in fear of the gray-and-black aggressors harassing the hybrid. Later, more Faunus are pushing the crowd away from their bullied brethren.**

**"Of course, despite being promised equality, the Faunus were subjected to discrimination and hate. Humanity still thought of us as lesser beings. And so, the White Fang rose up as a voice of our people. And I was there."**

**Silhouettes of Faunus protesters are revealed, and emerging from the shadows is a young girl with dark hair and cat ears.**

Kali gasped, Ghira's eyes widen in shock, but had warmth in them.

"She's so cute!" Summer said, smiling at the Faunus pair. Both of them blushed while Team STRQ chuckled.

"She really is cute, though. And looks like she's a spitfire when she was younger. You should be proud." Tai said, and both Faunus look at each other and nod gratefully to Tai for the kind words.

**"I was at the front of every rally. I took part in every boycott. I actually thought we were making a difference. But I was just a youthful optimist."**

**Cutting from the child version of Blake, the blue flag of a white wolf with sad eyes and a circle behind its head is lowered, and raised in its stead is a red monster with three bloody scratches and teeth bared at the world.**

Both Faunus tense and scramble for the remote to pause the screen. "Ghira…" Kali called out to the large man as he started pacing in front of the couch.

"This… how could this have happened? I thought we were making a difference. I hoped, at least." Ghira, as big and strong as he looked… was on the verge of breaking down.

"We _are_ making a difference Ghira!" Kali says as she stands up as well, looking up at the other Faunus.

"No we aren't! You heard Blake, all this was, was youthful optimism." Ghira said, hands balled into fists.

"Maybe optimism is all we have right now, but we can change it! That's why we were brought here, wasn't it? To change the future, for our daughter's sake, for every Faunus out there wanting to live in peace and not wanting to live a life of pain and hate and fear. So, maybe some things aren't working out, but we can and will figure out how to make it better. Together!" Kali's amber eyes blazed with determination as she said that.

The Cat Faunus took the necessary steps toward her boyfriend and pulled him down into a hard and passionate kiss.

After they parted, Kali's expression took on a soft tone. "Now, are you feeling better?" Ghira nodded numbly.

She grinned and pecked him on his cheek, dragging him back down into their seats and started up the episode once again. She wasn't bothered by the others staring at her in amazement and red blushing faces.

**"Then, five years ago, our leader stepped down, and a new one took his place. A new leader, with a new way of thinking."**

"What? Who?" Ghira asked, even though no one could answer him.

**A quick series of images are shown - Faunus replacing their picket signs with axes and blades, windows being broken, thieves leaping on trains to ****steal their cargo.**

**"Suddenly, our peaceful protests were being replaced with organized attacks. We were setting fire to shops that refused to serve us, hijacking cargo from companies that used Faunus labor. And the worst part was, it was working. We were being treated like equals. But not out of respect... out of fear." Blake said.**

"No…" Kali said, her hands over her mouth.

"Violence only breeds more violence." Ghira said sadly. The others looked at the two Faunus but didn't say anything. They couldn't, they wouldn't even know what to say in this situation.

**The flashback shows one more image of three Faunus individuals standing in a dominating manner with malicious grins until Blake puts down her teacup in front of a stunned Sun.**

"This isn't…. This isn't right. None of this is right!" Ghira whispered, shaking his head and clenching his fists in anger at what he was seeing.

**"So, I left. I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence, and instead, I would dedicate my life to becoming a Huntress. So here I am: a criminal hiding in plain view, all with the help of a little black bow." Blake wiggles her cat ears beneath the fashionable disguise to demonstrate.**

"You aren't a criminal, Blake. You are trying to do the right thing. You are changing, slowly and surely, you are changing into a better person." Summer said.

"Blake… You are doing what you think is right." Kali said, reaching out her hand toward the screen, hoping to be able to comfort her daughter.

**Sun was trying to come to terms with this. "So... have you told your friends any of this?"**

"He's trying to help her. Give her a way out that she's afraid to think about." Tai said.

Both Faunus look at the blond man. "What do you mean, Tai?" Kali asked.

"He's trying to get her to see that there is another way for her to go about this. Living her life running away and in fear isn't a way to live. So he's helping her break out of her shell and showing her that, she doesn't have to be afraid because she has people that will help her and will be there for her. Mainly Sun and her team." Tai said.

The others looked at Tai with varying degrees of shock. "Since when are you so philosophical?" Qrow asked his teammate.

"I may be a bit reckless, but that doesn't mean I'm an idiot." Tai growled.

"Never said that." Qrow shot back.

Kali interrupted their little argument. "Thank you for that Tai. I appreciate that you are trying to help us and understand Blake." She smiled at the blond man, who blushed.

"Course. What are friends for? Blake is our daughters teammate, we will help you change the future of the White Fang. Even if we are Humans, I think the first step is to show people that Humans and Fuanus can coexist." Tai said, smiling brightly at Kali and Ghira.

**Blake merely looks down in shame and says nothing.**

* * *

**Ruby shouted. "Blaaaake!"**

**Yang was also calling out, "Blaaaake!"**

"Good, they are looking for her." Summer said, hoping that everything would work out with the team, especially with Weiss and Blake.

**The scene transitions to Ruby, Yang, and Weiss walking through town and calling in vain for their missing teammate.**

**Ruby continues to scream. "Blaaaaaaaake! Where aaaare yoooouuuu!?"**

**Yang cups her hands over her mouth. "Blake!"**

**Ruby turns on Weiss. "Weiiiiss, you're not helping!"**

**"Oh! You know what might be able to help? The police!" Weiss angrily said.**

Summer clamped her hand down over Qrow's mouth to stop him from saying anything he would regret. He didn't fight her, just huffed.

**Ruby crossed her arms in irritation. "Ugh, **_**Weiss**_**..."**

**Weiss held up her hands in an innocent gesture. "It was just an idea!"**

**Ruby walked down the sidewalk. "Yeah, a **_**bad**_** one."**

**Yang was following behind Ruby. "Weiss, I think we should hear her side of the story before we jump to any conclusions."**

**Following behind Yang, Weiss waved her arms around. "I think that when we hear it, you'll all realize **_**I**_** was right!"**

**Penny was following Weiss, which none of them realized. "And I think Weiss' hair looks **_**wonderful**_** today!"**

"What the hell? Where did she even come from?" Qrow asked, jumping at the sight of the odd girl.

"Not a clue. You may be right, by the way, Raven, Kali." Ghira muttered, having to double-take when he saw Penny just appear like that.

**Turning around suddenly with her team in surprise, Ruby screamed. "Aaaah! Penny! Where did you come from!?"**

**Penny cheerfully ignored the question. "Hey guys! What are you up to?"**

"What the hell?" Raven shook her head in utter confusion. Who was this odd and strange girl that Ruby had befriended?

**Ruby didn't know how to answer that. "Uhh..."**

**However, Yang answered. "We're looking for our friend Blake."**

**Penny nodded and smiled. "Ooooh, you mean the Faunus girl!"**

"Wait? She can tell Blake's a Faunus?" Kali and Ghira asked in surprise.

"You two got an answer for that?" Raven asked.

"No." Ghira said.

**Ruby, Weiss, and Yang stare at Penny**_**.**_

**Ruby pointed to the orange haired girl. "Wait, how did you know that?"**

**"Uhh, the cat ears?" Penny points to her head.**

**Yang laughed a little. "What cat ears? She wears a... bo**_**ooohhh**_**..."**

"I don't even want to know anymore." Raven muttered and turned to look at Tai who hadn't said anything for a while now. "Tai? Everything okay?"

Tai broke out of his thoughts and his eyes went to Raven. "Yeah, fine."

"What's up, Tai? You're not this quiet." Summer frowned.

Taiyang breaths in deeply and exhales. "I'm worried." He finally says.

"About what?" Summer asked her teammate.

"This is the last episode, chapter, whatever it's called, of the volume. After this is the soundtrack so we can listen to all of the songs. But this feels incomplete." The blond man crossed his arms over his chest.

The only one who understood what Tai was talking about was Raven. "There's probably a reason for that. Don't worry, we will get our answers." Tai looked to the mother of his first daughter and narrowed his eyes at her.

"We have no idea if you're dead or not. We know for certain Summer is. Everything is still up in the air for us." Tai hissed, his eyes flashing.

Silence followed as no one dared challenge Tai in this instance.

**The realization leaves them in silence as a tumbleweed blows through in the wind.**

**Ruby whispered over to Yang and Weiss. "She does like tuna a lot..."**

**"So, where is she?" Penny asked.**

**Ruby's voice was strained. "We don't know. She's been missing since Friday."**

**Penny gasped. "That's terrible!" She approaching an uncomfortable Ruby. "Well, don't you worry Ruby, my friend! I won't rest until we find your teammate!"**

Kali and Ghira smiled at the odd girl. They were thankful that Blake had such caring friends and people who were willing to look for her and help her when she was hurting and scared.

**Ruby was doing her best to continue smiling, "Uh, that's really nice of you, Penny, but we're okay! Really! Right, guys?"**

**She looks over Penny to direct her question at Yang and Weiss, who's blinking outlines are all that's left of their sudden departure from the company of the strange girl. A tumbleweed blows past them again in the quiet.**

"Wow, harsh." Qrow muttered, smirking at Raven. She rolled her eyes at her brother.

**"It sure is windy today!" Penny says, smiling.**

* * *

**Sun and Blake are then seen walking down an alley.**

**Sun had his hands behind his head. "So, what's the plan now?"**

**Blake had her hand on her chin. "I still don't believe the White Fang is behind these robberies. They've never needed that much Dust before."**

"Why _would_ the White Fang need this much Dust, it doesn't make any sense." Summer said.

'Well, I'm sure we'll find out soon enough." Kali said, worried for her daughter and the Monkey Faunus.

**Sun's eyes widen. "What if they **_**did**_**?" Lowering his arms and pacing in front of Blake as he continues his theory. "I mean... the only way to prove that they **_**didn't**_** do it, is to go to the place where they would most **_**likely**_** go to if they **_**were**_** to do it, and not find them there! Right?"**

"Everyone is guilty until proven innocent. It could work." Kali said, glancing at Ghira. He nodded, his jaw closed tight, as he was grinding his teeth together in fear and anger.

**Blake sighed. "The only thing is, I've no idea where that would be."**

**"Well, while I was on the ship, I heard some guys talking about offloading a huge shipment of Dust coming in from Atlas."**

**Blake turned to Sun. "How huge?"**

**Sun grinned. "**_**Huge**_**. Big Schnee Company freighter."**

**Blake's eyes widen. "You're sure?"**

"Why do I get the feeling that this won't end well?" Summer asked more to herself then the others.

* * *

**Yang came out of a shop with Weiss, waving to the person inside. "Thanks anyways!" She sighs, "This is hopeless." Yang looks at Weiss when she looks around nonchalantly "You really don't care if we find her, do you?"**

**"Don't be stupid; of **_**course**_** I do. I'm just afraid of what she'll say when we find her." Weiss walks forward, calling over her shoulder: "The innocent never run, Yang!"**

"She was scared. And she has a Schnee on her team." Qrow growled.

"She's scared, yes. But maybe this could have all been avoided if they had just talked about this and Blake had not hid her Faunus nature from the others." Kali said.

"Wait, you agree with Weiss?" Qrow asked, staring in surprise.

"I do. Weiss isn't racist; she's been conditioned to think like that. It's a learned behavior for her, and it won't be so easy to break. Blake was in the wrong, she isn't trying to understand Weiss and her outlook and immediately says that she's racist, but it's not only that. Blake can't really see how much her secret affected her team. More than that, Weiss. Weiss is trying to process all of this and it's hard for her. It's also difficult for Blake to open up, because she hasn't had anyone to open up and be herself around. I think both girls need to just sit down and talk to each other."

**Yang looks down in thought.**

* * *

"**So, Blake is your friend?" Penny asked, confused about the situation she had found herself in.**

**Ruby sighed as they make their way down the sidewalk. "Yes, Penny."**

**"But you're mad at her?" The green eyed girl was still confused.**

**"Yes. Well, I'm not. **_**Weiss**_** is." Ruby said, closing her eyes.**

**"Is **_**she**_** friends with Blake?" Penny asked, hoping the two girls were still friends.**

**Ruby muttered, "Well, that's kind of up in the air right now..."**

**Penny was trying to contemplate this. "But **_**why**_**?"**

**Ruby sighs again, "Well, you see, Blake might not be who we thought she was..."**

**Penny gasps. "Is she a man?"**

"WHAT?!" Qrow, Tai, and Summer scream in shock.

"This girl is not normal." Raven said, shocked about what Penny had just said.

Kali and Ghira was too dumbfounded to say anything, they just stare that orange haired girl.

**"No! No, Penny. She's..." The cloaked girl stops and sighs, looking at Penny as she talks now. "I don't know what she is. She didn't exactly talk to us ****before she decided to run off."**

**Penny looked down sadly. "I don't have a lot of friends, but if I did, I would want them to talk to me about things."**

"I wonder why?" Qrow said under his breath.

**Ruby turns her gaze downward sadly. "Me too..." They continue walking**

* * *

**Amidst the chirping of crickets and darkness of night, Blake lays flat on her stomach on the rooftop overlooking the shipment of Schnee Dust containers.**

"It's starting." Kali said to Ghira.

**"Did I miss anything?" Sun asked as he came up behind her.**

**Blake looked up as Sun drops down to her right. "Not really. They've offloaded the crates from the boat. Now they're just sitting there."**

**"Cool." He holds out one of the green apples in his arms. "I stole you some food!"**

"Really?" Summer asked.

"He needs to eat too. Isn't the worst thing he could do." Raven told her leader. Summer, Tai, Ghira and Kali look at the wild haired female.

"It's true. He just stole a few apples, it's not that big of a deal." Qrow shrugged, agreeing with Raven.

"Do I even want to know?" Summer sighed.

"Probably not." Qrow leaned back on the couch to get more comfortable.

**Blake gave Sun a questioning look. "Do you always break the law without giving a second thought?"**

**Sun glared, "Hey, weren't you in a cult or something?" Blake delivers an angry glare at him. "Okay, too soon!"**

"The White Fang isn't a cult." Ghira says, and just puts his head in his hands.

**Just as he says this, the winds blows all around them, and they look up to see a Bullhead's searchlights flashing around for a landing spot, descending in the middle of the cargo containers and extending a ramp for a black hooded individual with a metallic fanged mask to come out of.**

**"Oh no..." Blake whispered in horror.**

Ghira and Kali echoed their daughter. Distraught about what they were seeing. Summer and Tai went over to comfort the two Faunus.

**"Is that them?"**

**Blake was staring at the bloody wolf on the back of the man's outfit. "Yes... It's **_**them**_**."**

**A White Fang soldier started motioning to the other White Fang members coming from the aircraft, motioning with his rifle. "All right, grab the tow cables!"**

**"You really didn't think they were behind it, did you?" Sun asked, glancing at Blake.**

**She stared sadly at the scene. "No. I think deep down I knew. I just didn't want to be right." She closes her eyes in despair, only to open them suddenly when she hears a new voice.**

**"Hey! What's the holdup!?" The soldiers look up at Roman gesturing widely and coming down the ramp. "We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals try to pick up the pace?"**

"Knew it." Raven said smugly.

Qrow sighed and groaned. "Raven… don't start a fight. We're almost done."

**"This isn't right. The White Fang would never work with a Human. Especially not one like that." The Cat Faunus stands up and unsheathes the katana of Gambol Shroud before walking off the edge of the roof.**

"Well they are… for some reason." Kali muttered, her brows furrowed in confusion.

**Sun jolted, alarmed. "Hey, what are you doing?!"**

**Blake falls to the ground in a crouch, then continues on to hide behind one of the containers, peeking around the corner to see Roman berate a White Fang member holding a coil of rope.**

**"No, you idiot! This isn't a leash!" As Roman's looking around, Blake suddenly appears behind him with her blade at his throat. "What the- Oh, for f-" He rolls his eyes when he's cut off by Blake mid-swear.**

"Wasn't necessary, but okay." Tai said.

"Yet he can do that." Summer said, shrugging.

**Blake looked around her. "Nobody move!"**

**The White Fang soldiers ready their guns and equip their swords in response.**

"Blake! No!" Kali and Ghira both tensed at watching their daughter.

**Roman laughs. "Whoa! Take it easy there, little lady."**

**As the White Fang closes in on her, Blake uses her free hand to go for her bow and remove it, causing the ribbon to fall away as her Faunus ears are shown to the world.**

**"Brothers of the White Fang! Why are you aiding this scum?"**

"She isn't a White Fang member anymore." Tai said, reminding the others of the story they had heard from the Cat girl.

**The White Fang members lower their weapons a little at this development, unsure of what to do, when Roman laughs.**

**"Oh, kid, didn't you get the memo?"**

**Blake hissed, her eyes narrowing. "What are you talking about?"**

**Roman grips his cane, ready to use it. "The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together!"**

"What?" Kali and Ghira say.

"The woman in red that we saw in the first episode." Raven suddenly commented. "I have a feeling that she's behind this." Everyone paled at the implications, the two Faunus were horrified by what Raven had just said.

**Blake's katana pressed against Roman's throat. "Tell me what it is or I'll put an end to your little operation."**

Raven hummed. "She isn't afraid to get dirty. This should be interesting." Raven smirked, her red eyes darkening in excitement at seeing some blood shed by the Faunus.

Raven's team, besides her brother, and the two Feline Faunus stare at the black haired woman in horror. Qrow closed his eyes and focused on Raven. The chair she was sitting on flipped over.

She screamed and glared at her twin. "Stop it." Qrow commanded.

"You don't tell me-" Raven wisely stopped talking as she felt her brother's Aura expand outward toward her.

"Watch yourself, Raven." Qrow hissed, his rust-red eyes darkened in anger. Raven gulped and stepped away from her brother, sitting down on the other side of the room.

**Suddenly, the air is filled with more turbines blowing the wind wildly around the holdup.**

**Roman smirked, looking up. "I wouldn't exactly call it a **_**little**_** operation..."**

**Two more Bullheads are hovering above the heist, and as Blake watches in horror, Roman smiles and manages to fire his cane at Blake's feet, resulting in a large explosion.**

"Shit." Tai said. They all tense, prepared to watch Blake and Sun take on the White Fang and Roman Torchwick.

* * *

**Penny and Ruby turn around upon hearing the noise, seeing the smoke rise from the docking bay just a few buildings away.**

**Ruby breathed, "Oh, no..."**

* * *

**Blake, dazed but relatively unhurt on the ground, quickly rolls and runs out of the way of Roman's continued attacks, flaming missiles destroying cargo behind her as she retreats behind more containers.**

**Roman approached slowly. "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty..." His taunt is interrupted when a banana peel lands on his head, causing him to look up and growl at the assailant.**

They all laughed at that as it brought up the mood in the room.

**Sun leaps from the container above Roman and drops down on the criminal's face feet-first, rolling up and readying himself to fight.**

"He's good." Raven said.

"Let's see what he can do." Summer nodded.

**Sun shouted, "Leave her alone!"**

**The Bullheads open to let more White Fang members descend on the scene, standing by Roman as he gets up and surrounding Sun.**

**"You're not the brightest banana in the bunch, are you, kid?"**

"Really? Monkey puns? Even I wouldn't do that." Tai snorted.

**With that said, the White Fang charge at the monkey Faunus, but he manages to dodge slashes and get some of the soldiers with his fists and kicks until he rolls out of the way, pulling out a collapsible red staff. He quickly uses this to beat down on each opponent that nears him, falling each one in a single flaming blow when he twirls, even creating a scorching shockwave to beat the last of them.**

'_Kid's really good. This should change things.'_Tai thought.

**Blake peers around the corner of the container to watch Sun jump around and beat more White Fang soldiers, causing one to fly over Roman's head. The crime boss growls in annoyance and aims his cane at Sun, firing a shot that he defends himself from just when Blake leaps into the action.**

**"He's mine!" Blake shouted in anger.**

**Blake goes in close and becomes a blur of afterimages as she slashes both blades at Roman, who backs away and deflects each would-be blow with his cane at unbelievable speeds. Blake continues to dash, hop over, and slide around Roman to try and find a weak spot, but her enemy, while barely deflecting the attacks, lands a few hits on Blake until one final beating with his cane causes her to go down.**

"Her Semblance?" Kali asks, turning to Summer and her team for an explanation.

"Most likely. She can copy herself to take a hit." Summer said, generalizing Blake's Semblance from what she had just seen.

**Just as Roman deals with one opponent, Sun appears right behind her and disconnects his staff in two spinning circles of flame-firing shotgun nunchucks that only slow down once to show the audience what they are before becoming twin arcs of offense again. Sun swings each gun at Roman while firing everything he as at him, but even with the rapid series of shots and flying bullets, Roman manages to defend himself against every bullet and hit until a millisecond-long pause allows Blake to get a slash in and knock him back.**

"Damn he's good!" Qrow shouted. _'If he trains even more, he might be a match for most of the tribe.'_

**On his back, Roman notices a container hanging by a crane right above the two warriors, and gets up to fire his cane at its supports. Blake leaps behind it, but Sun barely misses when he jumps forward, ending up right below the nozzle of Roman's cane. Just as he's about to fire, his and Sun's attention are drawn to a familiar voice.**

**Ruby yells. "Hey!"**

**Ruby appears on the rooftop overlooking them, Crescent Rose extended and ready for action.**

"Ruby's here! That means that the rest of Team RWBY are coming as well!" Summer said, thankful that Ruby was there to help Blake and Sun.

**Roman, losing interest in Sun, waved to Ruby. "Well, hello, Red! Isn't it past your bedtime?"**

"She's 15, not a toddler." Summer said petulantly.

"Still a kid in his eyes." Raven told her leader.

**Penny approached Ruby from behind. "Ruby, are these people your friends?"**

**Ruby looked behind her. "Penny, get back!" While her attention is diverted, Roman snarls and fires his cane at her, launching the young Huntress-in-training back from the explosion's force and sending her scythe flying away. "AAAAAH!"**

"No, Ruby!" Summer and Tai shouted in concern for their daughter. Kali and Ghira were also worried about the younger girl.

**Roman gives off a professional-level evil laugh at his attack on the young girl. Penny turns her head toward the criminal and gives her first glare, walking forward while Ruby tries to get back up.**

**"Penny, wait! Stop!" Ruby raises her hand in a futile attempt to stop her**

**Penny looks back and smiles at her friend. "Don't worry, Ruby. I'm combat ready!"**

**Her backpack mechanically opens up, and from its dark depths comes a single sword that extends and multiples into several blades hovering over Penny's back. Leaping from the rooftop with the weapons acting as wings, she sends three of her swords to knock two White Fang soldiers down before even landing on the ground, where she proceeds to fling the swords at one enemy, impale another to a wall, create a barrier of spinning steel against a running attack, leaping over a goon with her swords in tow, and finally making a wheel that she throws to knock multiple Faunus off their feet.**

"What the…"

"I think you're right, Rae." Qrow whispered in shock at watching Penny.

Raven, herself, was just staring at the screen in shock and amazement.

**Sun stared, observing the spectacle in amazement. "Whoa!" He runs off to safety.**

**Three Bullheads come from the skies and open fire on the battle, but Penny merely forms a shield and launches two of her swords into the wall behind her, which in turn pull their wielder back with their strings. When her swords swirl around her again, she commands them to open their points and build up a large glowing ball of green light. With a punching action, several bright lasers crack the pavement when they fire at the transports and slice each one in half, causing several of the White Fang members inside to fall and letting Ruby watch as Bullheads fall in pieces behind her.**

"She's amazing." Kali said in awe.

**Stunned, she turns back to Penny as she aims her swords at the remaining Bullheads holding the crate of Dust and pulls back on their wires, tugging the aircraft with them.**

**Ruby was watching in awe. "Whoa... How is she doing that?"**

**Seeing the Bullhead's flight fall under Penny's control, Roman grimaces and turns to run towards the last transport.**

**Penny, after her large green pupils dilate for a second, pulls with all her might on the strings, and the aircraft crashes into a stack of crates, causing an explosion as a result.**

**Roman was watching from the safety of his escape. "These kids just keep getting **_**weirder**_**..." With his observation made, he uses his cane to close the doors, and the jet lifts off, flying away from the lost battle.**

"Well, he's not wrong." Tai said, lightening the mood as the others chuckled and cracks a few smiles.

* * *

**Later, a handful of police cars are at the docks, where Ruby, Blake, Sun, and Penny are sitting on boxes in silence. That is, until Weiss and Yang appear on the scene.**

"The others are here." Qrow said.

**Ruby spoke quickly to explain the situation. "Look Weiss, it's not what you think, she explained the whole thing. See, she doesn't actually have a bow, she has kitty ears and they're actually kind of cute..." Weiss ignores her and squares off with Blake.**

"Here we go." Qrow growled.

"Let's wait before we start screaming at her, please." Kali said, hoping the twins and Ghira wouldn't go off the handle.

**Blake calmly looked her down. "Weiss, I want you to know that I'm no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was with the-"**

**"Stop! Do you have any idea of how long we've been searching for you?" She pauses, "**_**Twelve**_** hours. That means I've had twelve hours to think about this. And in that twelve hours, I've decided..."**

They all tensed, waiting for Weiss' answer.

**Yang, Sun, and Ruby look on, worried.**

**"I don't care."**

"Huh?" Ghira said, surprised.

"I told you, everyone has the ability to change." Kali said, smiling at Weiss' change of attitude.

**Blake eyes widened, surprised. "You don't care?"**

**"You said you're not one of them anymore, right?" Weiss asked with a raised eyebrow.**

**Blake shook her head. "No, I-I haven't been since I was younger-"**

**Weiss held up her hand, silencing ****her. "Ah-bah-bah-bah-bah! I don't want to hear it. All I want to know is that the next time something this big comes up... you'll come to your teammates. And not some..." Weiss looked at Sun behind her as she catches herself. "Someone else."**

"Weiss saved Ruby during initiation when she didn't have to." Summer pointed out.

"If she wouldn't have, then she wouldn't have been able to pass." Qrow said.

"True, but my point still stands. In Weiss is a good person, all she needs to do is to accept that part of herself and not push it down further." Summer said with the wisdom of a fully-fledged Huntress.

**Blake looked at Ruby and Yang who were grinning at her, she wipes a tear from her eye, nodding. "Of course."**

Blake's parents smiled at the touching scene.

**Weiss smiles and nods. The moment is serious for a second more until Ruby screams:**

**"Yeah! Team RWBY is back together!"**

"Only your daughter, Sum!" Kali said, calling Summer by her nickname. Summer blushed and then looked up at Kali, who was also pink.

"I… I didn't-" The Cat Faunus stopped when Summer came over to her and lightly touched her hand.

"I think you can call me Sum, if you want. After all, we're friends, aren't we?" Summer's warm smile was echoed by the rest of Team STRQ, even though the twins' lips twitched slightly.

**As the five gather with each other, she points accusingly at Sun. "I'm still not quite sure about how I feel about you!" Sun laughs nervously.**

**"Hey, wait a minute... Where's Penny?" Ruby asked, wondering where her friend was.**

"Where…?" Qrow got his answer when the next scene played.

**From the darkened back seat of a limo, Penny watches the group of friends reuniting with each other.**

_**"You should know better than to go running around in a strange city." **_**Penny's driver said.**

**"I know, sir." Penny said sadly.**

**Penny's driver sighs as he tries to comfort her. "Penny, your time will come..."**

"That won't end well." Tai muttered.

* * *

**Meanwhile, Ozpin is seen holding a Scroll showing a "LIVE FEED" of Ruby at the docks. He closes the video and opens up a communication with Qrow, whose team name and other information is left blank and his only message is: "QUEEN HAS PAWNS."**

Summer froze in fear, thinking back to the mysterious woman that they had heard in the beginning of the videos.

The others were shaking; the only two that kept it relatively hidden were the twins. But they were still creeped out.

**Ozpin hummed.**

**The scenes cuts to a view of Beacon Academy bathed in the light of the nearly-full moon as the credits roll and the background fades to black.**

* * *

**Roman walks into a large warehouse with a shadowy interior. He goes over to a table and places down a case of mysterious contents, sighing in tiredness.**

_**"How very disappointing, Roman."**_** The woman in red, who attacked Ruby, said.**

Summer gasped, "I don't have a good feeling about this." She said, scared for her daughter.

**Roman turned around suddenly when he hears the voice and their noisy entrance. "Whoa! Hehe... I wasn't expecting to see you guys so soon..."**

"He's scared of her." Raven observes.

"Yeah, but why? That's what we need to figure out." Qrow said to his sister.

**Of the three figures before Roman, only Cinder's head, containing yellow eyes and flowing dark hair, is seen. "We were expecting... **_**more**_** from you."**

"That's ominous as hell." Raven said, not liking where this was going.

**Roman laughed a little before getting serious. "Hey! You were the ones who suggested working with those stupid mutts from the White Fang."**

**Cinder chuckled darkly. "And you will continue to do so." She summons a fireball in her hand and steps out of the darkness with her two companions, a silver-haired man and mint-haired, tanned woman, eyes glowing gold. "We have **_**big**_** plans for you, Roman. All we ask is... a little cooperation."**

"Oh great! This bitch can use magic! Just what we need!" Qrow said, annoyed as he threw his arms in the air and got up.

"Something bad is going to happen." Raven said confidently, though in this case, she _really_ didn't want to be right.

**The camera holds on Cinder Fall's evil little smile.**

"Creepy bitch." Tai mutters, Qrow and Ghira echo his sentiments.

Whoever this woman is, she was powerful enough to make Vale's crime boss fear her.

"Now it's just the soundtrack, right?" Kali asked.

"Yeah, want to continue getting the lyrics down so we can figure out what the songs are about?" Tai asked Kali, who nodded and took out the pad of paper that Tai had given her before.


	21. Volume 1 Soundtrack

**I will be putting this on a hiatus until I am finished with Volume 2. That means that for every volume I finish I will be taking a (few) month(s) off to write the next one. So there will be a bit of a wait, but it will be worth it! Enjoy the Volume 1 soundtrack and…**

**HAPPY NEW YEARS! WELCOME TO 2020 AND THE NEW DECADE!**

* * *

"One last thing to watch or I guess it would be listen to, since we are listening to the soundtrack." Summer said.

"Yeah, lets listen to it." The others agreed.

But before summer clicked the button to play she thought back to the song Ruby had sung about her, about losing her. Summer didn't think she could listen to the song, but knew she had people who would help her and support her.

Breathing in a deep breathe, Summer clicked the PLAY button on the remote and started the first song.

**Volume 1 Soundtrack**

_**Red Like Roses**_

**Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest.**

"Now we know what that line means." Summer looked down, her vision blurry from her tears. Tai rubs gentle circles on Summer's back to try and comfort her.

**White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test.  
**

**Black the beast descends from shadows.**

**Yellow beauty burns gold.**

"We've listened to this during the Red Trailer. Do you guys want to go on?" Tai asked.

The others nod, want to hear the other songs.

* * *

_**Mirror Mirror**_

"This is the Mini-Ice Queen's song." Qrow said.

**Mirror, tell me something,  
**

**Tell me who's the loneliest of all?**

"This is so sad. But I guess now we know where the lyrics stem from." Kali said, glancing at the other Faunus.

**Mirror, tell me something,  
**

**Tell me who's the loneliest of all?  
**

**Fear of what's inside of me;  
**

**Tell me can a heart be turned to stone?**

"She's trying to block out all of her pain and feelings. That won't be good. One way or another, all of that will explode outward, as we have just seen." Raven said.**  
**

**Mirror, mirror, what's behind you?  
**

**Save me from the things I see!  
**

**I can keep it from the world,  
**

**Why won't you let me hide from me?**

**Mirror, mirror, tell me something,  
**

**Who's the loneliest of all?  
**

**I'm the loneliest of all**

* * *

_**From Shadows**_

"Blake and Adam." Ghira said, holding Kali's hand.

**Born with no life,  
Into subjugation.  
Treated like a worthless animal,  
Stripped of all rights,  
Just a lesser being,  
Crushed by cruel, ruthless Human rule.**

Both Faunus and the twins flinch. The twins winced at being reminded of how the Tribe treated the few Faunus they had. It wasn't good. Qrow's gripped his chair tightly, but stopped when he felt a small hand on his own.

Looking up he saw that it was Kali, smiling to him. "It's okay. We will not fault you for your past. Neither of you." She told the Branwen twins.

**When it started,  
All we wanted was a chance to live our lives.**

"They want freedom." Summer said sadly, thinking about the story Blake had told Sun.

**Now in darkness,  
Taking everything we want and we will rise.  
We'll rise.  
We'll rise.**

**From shadows,  
We'll descend upon the world,  
Take back what you stole.  
From shadows,  
We'll reclaim our destiny,  
Set our future free.  
And we'll rise.  
And we'll rise.**

"I have a very bad feeling about what this means. Does that mean that the White Fang will try and fight humanity? Or do something worse?" Ghira asked, however no one could answer him.

Both Kali and Ghira were worried about the fate of the White Fang, neither knew what would happen when Ghira stepped down, even though they know bits and pieces form Blake.

**Above the darkness and the shame.  
Above the torture and the pain.**

"That has to refer to Adam." Qrow said.

"Why do you say that, Qrow?" Summer asked him.

"Why else would he wear a Grimm mask? I mean, he has to be hiding something underneath it. Maybe he was tortured by humans." Qrow said, thinking back to what he had seen of Adam.

Tai and Summer grimaced at what the other man had said, but knew that Qrow might be right.

**Above the ridicule and hate.  
Above the binding of our fate.**

**Call us liars,  
Degenerates, and killers,  
Psychos, heartless, insane criminals,  
Stupid, mutts and,  
Nothing but pure evil,  
Primal, bloodshed, is all that's left to do.**

"Weiss, just like what she was saying about Sun and the other Faunus." Tai said.

"Do you think it will change how she views Faunus? With one on her team?" Summer asked the two Faunus.

"I think so. I don't think that Weiss will just ignore what's happening to the Faunus that work at the SDC, she will want to do something about it. And I think that she'll be able to change it, the polices, how the laborers are treated, all of it With the help of Blake, I think that both can change the SDC and the White Fang." Kali said.

"What do you mean the White Fang, Kali?" Ghira asked his girlfriend.

"Blake and Sun went to the docks to find out what's going on with the White Fang; I think that she will do just that. I think that Blake will change the White Fang, and bring it back to its roots." Kali said, looking to Ghira when she said this about their daughter.

**We're misguided?  
Treated like we're criminals and we should hide.  
Born indicted,  
Tired of being pushed around and we will fly.  
We'll fly. ****We'll fly.**

"They want the same freedom that Humans have." Tai said, frowning as he wrote down the lyrics.

**From shadows,  
We'll descend upon the world.**

**From shadows,  
We'll reclaim our destiny.**

'_Yeah, but how? And what does that mean?'_ Qrow thought, hoping it didn't mean what he thought it meant.

* * *

_**I Burn**_

"With a title like that, it's Yang theme." Tai said, smiling as he would get to hear his eldest daughter's theme and figure out more about her.

Raven hummed and Qrow looked at his sister and teammate.

**Come at me  
And you'll see  
I'm more than meets the eye  
You think that  
You'll break me  
You're gonna find in time**

"'More than meets the eye'? Does that have anything to do with Ruby or Raven?" Ghira asked, turning to look at Yang's parents.

"Maybe." Taiyang frowned, glancing at Raven for a moment.

"Do you think that we'll find out what happened to you and why you went MIA?" Summer asked her female teammate.

"I don't know. But I want to know what the hell happens to our team." Raven replied, focusing intently on the lyrics on the screen.

**You're standing too close to a flame that's burning  
Hotter than the sun in the middle of July  
Sending out your army, but you still can't win  
Listen up, silly boy, 'cause I'm gonna tell you why**

"Is that a reference to her Semblance?" Kali asked Tai.

"Probably."

**I burn!  
Can't hold me now  
And you're not stopping me  
I burn!  
Swing all you want  
Like a fever I will take you down**

Qrow laughed at the last line. _'Well, she's not wrong. From what we just saw in her trailer and beyond, she's incredibly powerful.'_

**Reign supreme?  
In your dreams  
You'll never make me bow  
Kick my ass?  
I'm world-class  
And Super Saiyan now**

Tai and Raven looked at each other. "So… who trained her?" Tai asked.

"Not a clue. We'll find out soon, most likely." Raven shrugged, seemingly not caring.

"You care." Qrow teased. Raven rolled her eyes as the others chuckled and laughed at her pink cheeks. Raven didn't want to admit that Yang made her very happy, she just wanted to know what the hell happened to her, Summer and the team.

**You're starting up a fight that you just can't finish  
Watch the little hearts while they scrape you off the floor  
Bringing out your rockets? Well, shoot 'em up, baby  
High as you can go, but I'm the one who's gonna soar**

"Is… did she just make a reference to your name, Rae?" Qrow asked his sister.

"I… think so?" The elder twin didn't know what to make of that.

**I burn!  
Can't hold me now  
And you're not stopping me  
I burn!  
Swing all you want  
Like a fever I will take you down**

"Now it's just repeating." Ghira said.

**It doesn't have to be this way  
Let's kiss and make up, then you'll learn  
You can fight your life away  
I get what I want, so don't bother and just watch me burn  
**

"I get the feeling that she might actually get burned. And not by her Semblance." Raven muttered, suddenly worried about her daughter. Tai and Qrow glace over at the red-eyed woman and frown.

"What do you mean?" Summer asked, worried about Yang as well.

Raven frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Something's going to happen. I can _feel_ it."

Qrow stiffened, knowing that Raven was right. Something bad was coming, and they would have to watch it. They would have to watch it happen and not be able to do anything about it until they finished watching all of the episodes of the future.

However, Qrow remembered that they had a choice of leaving when each volume finished. But he doubted anyone would leave, not yet at least.

**Hotter than the sun  
Feel my fire  
Pyromaniac: my desire  
Thought that you could see the truth  
'Til I just burned down the booth  
**_**(Clean:)**_** Human Torch can't mess with me  
Johnny Blaze: Suspect B  
**_**(Clean:)**_** Scorch 'em quick, lightning fast  
**_**(Clean:)**_** Melt them britches down to ash**

"Well that's violent." Tai muttered, reading between the lines of the lyrics.

Both twins glance at each other in interest. _'Will Yang get my dark instincts?'_ Raven thought, not knowing what she would want from her daughter.

Ghira, Kali, and Summer didn't bother trying to hide their uneasiness at the lyrics of Yang's theme.

**Gasoline, kerosene  
Strike a match, ignite the scene  
**

_**(Clean:)**_** Things will never be the same  
Feel the fury of my flame  
Beg for mercy: it won't help  
Embrace the ending you were dealt  
**_**(Clean:)**_** Seems you chumps will never learn  
Now sit back and watch me burn**

"Raven…" Qrow slowly turned to look at his sister as she had an odd expression on her face.

"I don't know whether to be proud or not." Raven's mouth worked and then she finally frowned and glanced at each person in the room.

No one said anything as they were under the red gaze of Raven Branwen.**  
**

**I burn!  
Can't hold me now  
And you're not stopping me  
I burn!  
Swing all you want  
Like a fever I will take you down  
**

**I burn!  
Can't hold me now  
And you're not stopping me  
I burn!  
Swing all you want  
Like a fever I will take you down!**

* * *

"And done. This is the opening for the volume." Tai said.

_**This Will Be the Day**_

**They see you as small and helpless;  
They see you as just a child.  
Surprise when they find out that a warrior will soon run wild.**

"Does that have something to do with her silver eyes that Ozpin mentioned?" Kali asked Team STRQ.

"Maybe? But Ruby is certainly who this song is about and she is a warrior." Summer said, grinning ear-to-ear listening to the song.

**Prepare for your greatest moments;  
Prepare for your finest hour.  
The dream that you've always dreamed is suddenly about to flower.**

"She wanted to be a Huntress. Now she is. Dream come true." Raven said.

"Stop it, don't ruin this." Tai elbowed his soon-to-be? First wife in the ribs.

**We are lightning,  
Straying from the thunder,  
Miracles of ancient wonder.**

"Summer and Ruby's eyes?" Tai questioned, putting small bullet points to refer back to in later volumes if this comes back up.

**This will be the day we've waited for.  
This will be the day we open up the door.  
I don't wanna hear your absolution;  
Hope you're ready for a revolution.  
Welcome to a world of new solutions.  
Welcome to a world of bloody evolution.**

"Someone is going to die." Raven and Qrow said at the same time.

The other four adults stare in fear at the twins.

"The 'absolution' part sounds like it's directed at Ozpin for some reason." Qrow said, while Raven hummed and nodded at Qrow's observation.

"I have a feeling that the 'revolution' mentioned has something to do with the White Fang." Ghira said as both he and Kali gripped each other tight, hoping to get answers.

**In time, your heart will open minds,  
A story will be told,  
And victory is in a simple soul.**

"'A simple soul'! This is about Ruby, Ozpin and the creepy mystery lady!" Summer shouted both in excitement and fear.

**Your world needs a great defender.  
Your world's in the way of harm.  
You want a romantic life; a fairytale that's full of charm.**

"It's a job first and foremost." Summer said sternly, surprising everyone.

"This life is a tragic one; the only heroes that are recognized are those that have long since passed." Raven said in a dark tone, her eyes flickering to Summer for a brief moment.

**Beware that the light is fading;  
Beware if the dark returns.  
This world's unforgiving, even brilliant lights will cease to burn.**

"Creepy lady. I'm calling it; we are going to see the creepy lady." Tai said.**  
**

**Legends scatter.  
Day and night will sever.  
Hope and peace are lost forever.**

"Why do I get the feeling that the last line is going to somehow lead to a war happening?" Kali muttered in worry. They all glance and look between each other, hoping that there wouldn't be a war in their children's future.

**This will be the day we've waited for.  
We are lightning.  
Welcome to a world of new solutions.**

"That will be good. Solutions are always good." Summer said.

**This will be the day we've waited for.  
This will be the day we open up the door.  
I don't wanna hear your absolution;  
Hope you're ready for a revolution.  
Welcome to a world of new solutions.  
Welcome to a world of bloody evolution.  
In time, your heart will open minds,  
A story will be told,  
and victory is in a simple soul.**

* * *

_**Red Like Roses Part 2**_

When they saw the title of the next song they all tense and look at Summer. She started crying as the music played.

They all knew that she would replay the song over and over again after they finished the first volume.

The five adults decided to not comment throughout the song to give Summer the time she needed to grieve in silence. More than that, the two Faunus knew that Team STRQ was a family and that this song would hurt all of them, even if Qrow and Raven wouldn't really show it.

**Voice 1 (Casey/Ruby):  
I couldn't take it, couldn't stand another minute  
Couldn't bear another day without you in it  
All of the joy that I had known for all my life  
Was stripped away from me the minute that you died**

**To have you in my life was all I ever wanted  
But now without you I'm a soul forever haunted  
Can't help but feel that I had taken you for granted  
No way in hell that I can ever comprehend this**

**I wasn't dreaming when they told me you were gone  
I was wide awake and feeling that they had to be wrong  
How could you leave me when you swore that you would stay?  
Now I'm trapped inside a nightmare every single f'ing day**

**It's like a movie, but there's not a happy ending  
Every scene fades black, and there's no pretending  
This little fairy tale doesn't seem to end well  
There's no knight in shining armor who will wake me from the spell**

**I know you didn't plan this  
You tried to do what's right.  
But in the middle of this madness  
I'm the one you left to win this fight**

**Red like roses  
Fills my head with dreams and finds me  
Always closer  
To the emptiness and sadness  
That has come to take the place of you**

**Voice 2 (Sandy/Summer):  
I know you're broken down by anger and by sadness  
You feel I left you in a world that's full of madness  
Wish I could talk to you, if only for a minute  
Make you understand the reasons why I did it**

When the second singer, Summer, to all of their shock, including the young woman in question, started singing her perspective they all close their eyes, silently hoping for a chance to save the white cloaked woman from her fated death in the future.

**I wanna tell you that you're all that ever mattered  
Want you to know that, for eternity, I'm shattered  
I tried so hard just to protect you, but I failed to  
And in a prison of abandonment I've jailed you**

**I never planned that I would leave you there alone  
I was sure that I would see you when I made it back home  
And all the times I swore that it would be okay  
Now I'm nothing but a liar, and you're thrown into the fray**

**This bedtime story ends with misery ever after  
The pages are torn, and there's no final chapter  
I didn't have a choice, I did what I had to do  
I made a sacrifice, but forced a bigger sacrifice on you**

**I know you've lived a nightmare  
I caused you so much pain  
But, baby, please don't do what I did  
I don't want you to waste your life in vain**

**Voice 1 (Casey/Ruby):  
Red like roses  
Fills my head with dreams and finds me  
Always closer  
To the emptiness and sadness  
That has come to take the place of you.**

**Voice 2 (Sandy/Summer): You're not the only one who needed me; I thought you understood  
Voice 1 (Casey/Ruby): You were the one I needed, and you left me as I always feared you would  
Voice 2 (Sandy/Summer): Would I change it if I could?  
Both voices: It doesn't matter how  
The petals scatter now  
Every nightmare just discloses  
It's your blood that's red like roses  
Voice 1 (Casey/Ruby): And no matter what I do  
Nothing ever takes the place of you**

**Red like roses  
Fills my head with dreams and finds me  
Always closer  
To the emptiness and sadness  
That has come to take the place of you**

Summer ran out of the room sobbing.

The others decided to stop listening for the rest of the day to let everything settle down. They all needed to process 'Red Like Roses Part 2'. Especially Taiyang, Raven, and Qrow.

* * *

After two more days, Summer came out of her room, her eyes red and puffy but now she was just sniffling, not full-blown sobbing.

_**Gold**_

"Who do you think this song is about?" Tai asked softly.

"Maybe Yang?" Kali guessed.

**Dream of anything;  
I'll make it all come true.  
Everything you need  
Is all I have for you.  
I'm forever  
Always by your side.  
Whenever you need a friend,  
Never far behind.**

"This…. I think this is a song about Yang and Ruby." Ghira suddenly said. They all stare at him. "This sounds like something an older sibling would say to a younger one. And the only two siblings we know of are Ruby and Yang."

**If the stars all fall,  
When there's no more light,  
And the moon should crumble,  
It will be alright.**

**Don't you worry about the dark,  
I will light up the night with the love in my heart.  
I will burn like the sun,  
I will keep you safe and warm.  
Like the smell of a rose on a summer's day,  
I will be there to take all your fears away.  
With a touch of my hand,  
I will turn your life to gold.  
With a touch of my hand,  
I'll turn your life to gold.**

"'Like the smell of a rose on a summer's day'…." Summer whispered as she started sobbing again, but now Tai had also started crying.

"This is about Yang and Ruby. Or more about Yang's love for Ruby." Kali said, her hands covering her mouth to muffle her crying.

**Let's have everything,  
Nothing we cannot do.  
Every heart just beaming,  
Every sky turns blue.  
I'm so happy  
Just to have you here.  
Smiles bringing sunshine,  
Worries disappear.**

**When the days turn dark,  
And we start to fall,  
I will pick you up and  
We will fix it all.**

"Why do I get the feeling that this part will come up in a later volume?" Raven asked, glancing at the, still sobbing, Summer and Taiyang.

**Don't you worry about the dark,  
I will light up the night with the love in my heart.  
I will burn like the sun,  
I will keep you safe and warm.  
Like the smell of a rose on a summer's day,  
I will be there to take all your fears away.  
With a touch of my hand,  
I will turn your life to gold.  
Gold.**

**Don't worry, I've got you;  
Nothing will ever harm you.  
I'm close by, I'll stay here;  
Through all things, I will be near.**

**Close your eyes,  
Don't you cry.  
Love's around you;  
In time, you'll fly.**

"Xiao Long-Rose-Branwen." Qrow suddenly said, his eyes widening as he looked between his teammates.

They look at the dark haired male. "What?" Raven asked, wiping away stray tears.

"Yang has Tai's name: Xiao Long. Ruby has Summer's: Rose. You're Yang's mom, Rae. That means I'm her uncle. That means that together, both girls have three last names: Xiao Long-Rose-Branwen." None of them had thought of that yet, but when they did, they realized that Qrow was right.

'_Well shit. This changes things.'_ Raven thought. However, before she could voice her thoughts Qrow's hand was on top of her own and he had a warm little smile on his lips, his rust-red eyes understanding.

**Don't you worry about the dark,  
I will light up the night with the love in my heart.  
I will burn like the sun,  
I will keep you safe and warm.  
Like the smell of a rose on a summer's day,  
I will be there to take all your fears away.  
With a touch of my hand,  
I will turn your life to gold.  
With a touch of my hand,  
I'll turn your life to gold.**

* * *

_**Wings**_

"Who is this about?" Qrow asked. No one had an answer for him.

**One life,  
Is not a long time,  
When you're waiting,  
For a small sign.  
**

**Patience,  
Is hard to find.  
Shadows,  
Seem to fill your life.**

"Blake. This is about Blake." Kali said, gripping Ghira's hand with tears streaming down her face. Not even Ghira could stop his tears as he listened to the song that Blake was singing.**  
**

**Don't be disappointed,  
Don't let your heart break.  
Don't spend another minute,  
In this way.  
It's okay.  
**

**Dry your eyes now, baby;  
Broken wings won't hold you down.  
You'll take flight soon, baby.  
You'll be lifted up,  
And you'll be there**

Tai, Raven, and Qrow let the two Faunus listen to the song in silence, just as they did with Summer and 'Red Like Roses Part 2'. Summer was still emotional about Ruby's song to her, and Yang's song to Ruby.**  
**

**Twelve hours,  
Is a long night.  
When you're searching,  
With no hope in sight.  
**

"Blake. Does she really feel like this? That there isn't a way out for her?" Ghira's expression said it all. He was in pain as he listened to his daughter's words.

**Aimless,  
On the inside;  
And the damage,  
Makes you want to hide.**

Kali was sobbing just like Summer was as she listened to her daughter's song.**  
**

**I know that it seems pointless,  
I know that it feels fake.  
I know you can't stand the thought of,  
Being stray,  
One more day.  
**

**Dry your eyes now, baby;  
Broken wings won't hold you down.  
You'll take flight soon, baby.  
You'll be lifted up,  
And you'll be there.**

_Would any of you like to leave?_ None of them touched the note that had suddenly appeared on the coffee table. They were all in agreement. Until this was over, they wouldn't be leaving. No matter what.

The six adults went their separate ways after the Volume 1 Soundtrack ended. All of them needed to think on everything they had just watched and listened to up until this point.


	22. V2C1: Best Day Ever

**Get ready for Volume 2 of Team STRQ, Kali and Ghira Belladonna reacting to their children's futures! Also, Emerald, Mercury, and Neo are in their mid-or so 20's, and Cinder is in her early or so 30's.**

**Warnings: character death, vomiting, some sexual comments (by the twins).**

**(Raven and Qrow are still in the tribe mentality, "The weak die, the strong survive." Just a little reminder.)**

* * *

The six adults all decided that they needed some time to process all of what they had been shown of their and their children's future. Deciding a week would give everyone enough time, they reconvened after everything had sunk it.

Tai grabbed the remote and went to the menu. 'Volume 2' was in color, so that mean they could watch it. He clicked the button to open the episode list.

"Ready?" the blonde asked the others. They all nodded.

**Best Day Ever**

_**A ship flies through the skies over Vale and the camera pans down to the city streets. The owner of the Dust shop "From Dust Till Dawn" is hanging a sign declaring it's re-opening. As he climbs down from his ladder, he stumbles and falls. Emerald Sustrai appears next to him.**_

"That's the shop that Roman Torchwick robbed in the first episode we watched." Summer commented lightly.

"Well that's an odd way to start." Ghira said.

**Emerald giggled. "'Scuse me, sorry. I'm not really from around here." She helps him to his feet**_**.**_** "Would you mind pointing me in the direction of this shop?"**

_**Emerald produces a piece of paper with writing on it and the shopkeeper looks it over.**_

"I don't like this." Kali muttered.

"Me neither. Something doesn't feel right about her." Ghira said.

**The Shopkeeper squints, "Hmm? Mm-hmm."**

_**Emerald walks away from the shop owner as both wave goodbye and passes Mercury Black at a corner.**_

"Aren't those…. Aren't those two the people with the woman in red at the end of the first volume?" Summer asked her team and new friends. They all were wondering the same thing.

Raven was the one to break the tense silence. "Yes. Something bad is going to happen." Raven said confidently. Truly hoping she wouldn't be right.

**Mercury smirked. "I knew you were lost."**

"**Mercury, I will seriously pay you to shut up." She produces a wallet with Lien and waves it in Mercury's face.**

"She's a thief." Qrow said.

"What? How do you know she's a thief?" Kali asked.

"She's a street rat. Can see it a mile away." Qrow said, frowning.

"**That's not your money." The silver haired young man said.**

"**But it can be **_**yours**_** for 5 minutes of silence." Emerald countered.**

**Mercury thought about it. "Mmmm... no deal."**

"_**Fine."**_** Emerald takes the Lien and tosses the wallet, turning to walk away**_**.**_

"She doesn't care." Kali muttered.

"They were hired by that woman that we saw at the end of the volume." Summer said, frowning in concern for her daughter.

"_**Whatever.**_** You want me." Mercury smirked.**

"Why not?" Tai laughed, Qrow joined in when he realized what Mercury was saying.

"Seriously? Can't you two be serious?" Raven grumbled.

"Ah, come on! Rae, we're just having fun!" Taiyang said, with a large smile on his face. Raven tried to be angry at him and her brother but couldn't when she thought about the daughter that she and Tai would have soon.

_**More of the city is shown, including a café where two extras sit chatting. Mercury and Emerald are walking through the city.**_

"**So, how much farther?" Mercury asked.**

**Emerald glanced at him, "A few blocks."**

**Mercury grumbled, "Ugh... this place is so dull."**

"**Eh, I kinda like it. Tall buildings, diverse culture..." Emerald said slowly, trying to get her companion to appreciate the City of Vale.**

"**And nice dopey people who are easy to pickpocket." The young man said with an arrogant smile, eyes passing over the citizens in disinterest.**

_**Emerald stops.**_

"**That's every city." The green haired young woman deadpanned.**

"True." The twins said at the same time, smirking at each other.

"I don't want to know." Ghira shook his head.

"You really don't. We found Qrow pick-pocketing from the Beacon staff our first year." Summer said, looking at the offender.

Qrow smirked at his leader. "Well, can you blame me? We were from a bandit tribe in Anima. What did you expect us to do? We had no idea how to act in such a strange place. We'd never been to school before, we were taught by the chief of the tribe before we came to Beacon."

"Still! Stealing is wrong!" Summer shouted sternly.

"We do what we have to, to survive." Qrow said harshly.

Summer and Tai flinch back at their dark haired teammate's words, but didn't say anything to dispute it.

**Mercury starts to play-act as a victim**_**. **_**"Ooh, Emerald! Master thief! Please don't take my money! I barely have enough to get by!"**

_**Emerald glares at him, groaning angrily. She then walks away from him.**_

"**Ugh... you're no fun today." He groaned, annoyed at not being able to get a rise out of the green haired young woman.**

_**Mercury follows behind Emerald. The scene shifts to Emerald and Mercury entering a shop full of books. The shop owner can be heard humming a tune. Mercury stops near the door to look at books while Emerald approaches the counter and rings a service bell.**_

Kali gasped and Ghira's jaw clenched painfully. "Tukson."

"**Be right there!" Tukson called out. Emerald looks back at Mercury. The shop owner is seen through a set of double doors carrying stacks of books as he walks backwards and out toward the counter**_**.**_** "Welcome to 'Tukson's Book Trade', home to every book under the sun!" He sets the stacks down off-screen**_**.**_** "How may I..." Turning around, he gasps and hesitates upon recognizing the two of them. Mercury is now holding a book**_**.**_** "How may I help you?"**

**Although the book is open, Mercury is looking at Tukson**_**. **_**"Just browsing." He shuts the book**_**.**_

Kali and Ghira both knew that something is very, very, wrong. Both were terrified for their friend.

**Emerald quickly interjects, "Actually, I was wondering, do you have any copies of '**_**The Thief and The Butcher**_**'?**

**Tukson nods to the green haired young woman. "Yes we do."**

**Emerald gets excited. "That's great."**

"**Would you... like a copy?" The Faunus man asks.**

"**No, just wondering." Emerald shook her head. Mercury closes another book**_**.**_** "Oh, oh! What about '**_**Violet's Garden**_**'? In paperback?" She asked.**

"What are they doing?" Tai asked, Summer was wondering the same thing.

"Stalling." Raven answered. The two Faunus whimper quietly, fearing for the other Faunus.

"For what?" Summer questioned. Neither twin answered.

"**He's got it. Hardback too." Mercury produces a book**_**.**_

"**Ooh, options are nice."**

"**Eh, no pictures." Mercury closes the book**_**.**_** "Hey! Do you have any comics?" Mercury asked.**

"**Near the front." Tukson said.**

"**Oh, no, wait!" The music score becomes decidedly more menacing as the camera zooms in on Emerald. "What... about... "**_**Third Crusade**_**"?**

"No… No, please no!" Kali yelled out, terrified for her friend. Ghira tried to get his girlfriend to calm down but he couldn't, he was also worried and scared for the Puma Faunus.

**Tukson hesitates, visibly unnerved. "Um... I..." Mercury and Emerald are shown to be eyeing him carefully**_**.**_** "...don't believe we carry that one."**

The twins watch stoically, while Summer and Tai try and not be uncomfortable. The two Faunus were shaking and scared for their friend. Kali and Ghira knew something was very wrong, but they didn't know what. Ghira knew that this confrontation would only lead to bloodshed, but hoped he was wrong.

**Mercury slams another book shut**_**.**_** "Oh."**

**Emerald tilts her head to the side a bit. "What was this place called again?"**

"**Tukson's Book Trade." The Faunus answers.**

**Emerald's head was still tilted. "And you're Tukson?"**

**Tukson nodded. "That's right."**

"**So then I take it that you're the one that came up with the catchphrase?" She asked.**

"**Yes." The large man confirmed.**

"**And, what was it again?" Mercury cut in.**

**"Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun." Tukson sighed.**

"_**Except**_** the **_**Third Crusade**_**." Mercury pointed out.**

"**It's just a catchphrase." The Faunus said.**

"**It's false advertising!" Mercury stated in a flat voice.**

The mood in the room turns even darker and worsens within seconds. Everyone was silent.

**Emerald narrows her eyes. "You shouldn't make a promise you can't keep, Tukson." Mercury activates a switch near the entrance causing a front window to darken. "I hear that you're planning on leaving. Moving all the way to Vacuo." Mercury activates another switch and the window in the front door darkens. "Your brothers in the White Fang won't be happy to hear that." Mercury activates the third and final switch, darkening the last window as he smiles creepily at Tukson. "And neither are we... You know who we are, don't you?"**

Ghira freezes in horror, realizing what's about to happen to his longtime friend. He _needs_ to change the White Fang when he gets back! If he doesn't countless Faunus _will_ die because of his inaction.

Kali was trembling badly, so much so that Summer and Tai were concerned so they were about to pause what was about to happen.

Ghira's hand snapped out to grab Taiyang's wrist painfully. The blonde looked at the Faunus and saw Ghira' eyes. Tai's eyes widen slightly and the blonde young man nods minutely and Ghira lets him go.

They continued watching.

"**Yes."**

"**And you know why we're here?" The green haired woman questioned.**

"**Yes."**

**Emerald questions him one last time. "So... are you going to fight back?"**

"**Yes!" Tukson produces claws from his fingers**_**.**_** "Yaargh!"**

_**Tukson leaps atop his counter in a threatening manner. Mercury and Emerald back up slightly and he leaps at Emerald and slashes at her, but she dodges. He looks forward and is surprised at Mercury as he raises one leg for a kick with his shotgun-greaves.**_

Kali lets out a horrible wail. She vaults over the couch and runs to the bathroom, barely making it in time to empty the contents over her stomach.

Ghira closes his eyes and bows his head, saying a silent farewell to his friend.

Summer and Tai were shocked, but didn't try and comfort either Faunus, knowing that they had to deal with their grief their own way for the time being.

Raven and Qrow didn't move or blink while watching the fight progress, already knowing the outcome and expecting it.

The five wait for Kali to come back, but she doesn't. Ghira goes and checks on her. The Cat Faunus is curled up on the bathroom floor sobbing with vomit on her mouth. He gently picks her up and carries her to their room. The two don't come back for a few hours.

In that time, Team STRQ goes their separate ways, Summer and Tai going off together to talk or just be together. And the twins just curl up on the couch together, holding hands and leaning against each other. Needing the small physical comfort that the other brings to them in times like these.

After witnessing death, the Branwen twins need each other, nothing else involved besides comfort.

_**Mercury and Emerald exit 'Tukson's Book Trade'. Emerald stretches her arms overhead. Mercury is carrying a comic.**_

They watch silently, trying to give the Faunus the chance to grieve and say something about their friend if they want. Neither do.

"**What's with that?" Emerald asks.**

**Mercury shrugged. "I like the pictures."**

'_He's an assassin.'_ Raven and Qrow thought together, glancing at each other and then over at Kali and Ghira.

* * *

_**A series of sketches and notes mark the next scene. These include the White Fang insignia, a possible picture of Adam Taurus, and Adam's rose. In the Beacon Academy cafeteria, Team RWBY are sitting together as Blake looks over some notes. Yang then slides up next to her partner.**_

'_How far have we fallen?'_ Ghira thinks sadly as he looks at his daughter. Not even seeing Blake cheers Kali up after witnessing the death of her friend.

"**Whatcha doing?" Yang asks.**

"**Nothing." The Faunus says quickly. Blake closes her book**_**.**_** "Just going over notes from last semester."**

_**Yang catches a grape in her mouth.**_

"**Lame." Yang states.**

"Not everyone is a child in the body of a teenager, Yang." Raven mutters under her breath. Ghira's lips twitch slightly, as he nods at the dark haired woman. Knowing what she's trying to do for him and Kali.

_**Nora giggles as she continues to toss grapes at yang with her spoon. Yang catches the fruit with ease, giving Nora the thumbs up. Ruby, giving an enormous heave, slams a binder onto the table, catching everyone off guard. On the cover of the binder is written "Vytal Festival Activities, Property of Weiss Schnee". This has been hastily crossed out with a red marker pen, and with the same pen, a new title, "Best Day Ever Activities", has been written underneath.**_

**Ruby clears her throat, she gestures to everyone at the table. "Sisters... friends... Weiss."**

Qrow chokes back a laugh. Tai and Summer cover their mouth to stop their giggling from escaping.

"**Hey!"**

"**Four score and seven minutes ago, I had a dream." Ruby says enthusiastically.**

"That could only be a combination between Sum and Tai." Qrow said, looking at the two with a smirk on his face.

"**This ought to be good." Yang says, smiling. She catches another berry in her mouth**_**.**_

"**A dream that one day, the four of us will come together, as a **_**team**_**, and have the most fun anyone has ever had... **_**ever!"**_** Ruby yells out.**

"**Did you steal my binder?" Weiss asks her partner with a raised eyebrow.**

**Ruby makes 'peace' signs with both hands**_**.**_** "I am not a crook."**

"Why do I get the feeling like that's foreshadowing to something later on?" Summer asks, hoping her daughter won't do anything stupid or dangerous.

**Blake looks at her team leader. "What are you talking about?"**

"**I'm talking about kicking off the semester with a bang!" Ruby points her finger at Blake.**

"**I always kick my semesters off with a **_**Yang!**_** Eh? Guys? Am I right?" Yang said.**

Tai groaned and the rest of Team STRQ had deadpan looks on their faces staring at Tai. "No puns! I will not have my daughter be subjected to your awful puns, Taiyang Xiao Long!" Raven said in a low voice, a warning to the blond. Tai nods, fearful for his life suddenly.

"That was horrible." Ghira states.

_**An apple is tossed at Yang and hits her in the face. She glares at Nora.**_

**Nora shouts. "Boooooooooooooooo!"**

"**Look guys, it's been a good two weeks and between more exchange students arriving and the tournament at the end of the year, our second semester is going to be great! But, classes start back up tomorrow! Which is why I've taken the time to schedule a series of wonderful events for us today." Ruby said.**

"What? No way the Vytal Festival is that early!" Summer said, she couldn't believe it. Ruby and her team would fight in the Vytal Festival!

"**I don't know whether to be proud or scared of what you have in store." Weiss said.**

_**Yang, still glaring, picks up an apple and tosses it across the room. Off-screen, an unfamiliar voice shouts "Hey!" and Nora can be heard giggling.**_

**Blake shifts in her seat. "I don't know. I think I might sit this one out."**

"She's slowly isolating herself." Ghira said sadly, he glanced at his girlfriend to see how she was reacting to their daughter.

"**Sit out or not, I think that however we spend this last day, we should do it as a team!" Weiss said.**

"_**I**_** got it!" Nora shouted.**

"Uh oh." Summer and Tai said together.

"This is going to be a train wreck. Or a massacre. Or both." Qrow said.

"If Nora's coming up with the idea, something is going to go wrong in the most unconventional way." Ghira said.

**Weiss starts saying something, "I for one think that..." Weiss is interrupted by a pie landing on her face.**

Summer, Tai, and Qrow share feral grins.

"Food fight!" The three members of Team STRQ shout in glee.

_**Nora is shown to be the one who threw the pie; she sits down and points at Ren who has his head in his palm. Pyrrha's hand is over her mouth and Jaune simply sits staring wide-eyed while covering his ear with his palm.**_

"Gods damn it." Raven muttered, shaking her head at the stupidity of her daughter's friends.

* * *

_**Outside the cafeteria, Sun Wukong and Neptune Vasilias are walking together as Sun relates the events which took place during "Black and White".**_

**Neptune states, "Man, that's harsh."**

"**I know, we were fighting side by side. She was super-fast and I threw a banana at the guy, which sounds gross, but it was awesome." Sun says, smiling at his teammate.**

"Idiots. All of them." Raven said, throwing her hands up.

"_**Nice!" **_**The blue haired teen says.**

**Sun smirks. "Right? And the best part is, she's a Faunus. But that's a secret, okay?"**

"It's a secret for a reason, idiot." Ghira said. "Why did Blake trust him again?" He questioned.

"She likes him probably." Raven replied. Ghira just sighs and continues watching.

**Neptune nods. "Got it."**

_**Sun leans in close in order to stress the importance of this secret.**_

"**And not a, "I'm gonna go tell Scarlet the second Sun turns his back secret", I'm talking **_**secret**_** secret." Sun says sternly.**

"**Whoa, chill out, man, okay? I got it." Neptune said, and then he was almost whispering. "**_**I got it!"**_

"**You better." Sun mutters. The camera angle now shows the windows into the cafeteria where food splatters into the panes as students run around. At one point, Jaune is the one splattered into the window. "I just don't want to screw this up, you know? The people here are the **_**coolest!**_** No offense to you guys."**

"Idiots." Raven and Ghira say together. Kali lets out a small giggle and smiles slightly at the two of them. The female Faunus watches with a fond smile on her face.

"**None taken." The blue haired boy said.**

"**They're just in here. I'm **_**really**_** excited for you to meet them. So be cool, okay? You're gonna be cool, right?" Sun was giddy with excitement.**

**Neptune deadpanned, "Dude."**

_**The camera pans up from Neptune's feet to his face. Neptune's teeth gleam as he smiles.**_

"**Good point." Sun says.**

_**Sun and Neptune enter the cafeteria where students are heard screaming.**_

"It's a massacre." Kali said in shock, trying to cover up her giggles, thinking about what Qrow said being correct.

"_**Food fight!" **_**A Beacon student shouts in fear.**

_**Many students are shown stampeding out the door past Sun and Neptune, the latter of whom is looking quite worried.**_

**Nora laughs crazily, "Ahahahaha!"**

_**Team JNPR are shown to be standing atop a tower of tables stacked in a ramshackle manner.**_

"Holy shit, they're even crazier than we are!" Tai shouts.

"We're just going to keep getting dumber and dumber at this rate." Raven said.

"What did you expect? It's _Nora_." Qrow said, a huge grin on his face, waiting for the epic fight to begin.

"**I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!" Nora sang.**

**Ruby stomped her foot on a table and pointing at Team JNPR**_**.**_** "Justice will be swift! Justice will be painful!" Ruby crushes a carton of milk in her hand**_**.**_** "It will be **_**delicious!" **_**The young girl declares**_**.**_

"Why… just… why?" Raven groaned, thinking she couldn't watch the utter stupidity and dysfunction.

**Team RWBY raised their fists simultaneously**_**, **_**shouting, "Yeah!"**

**Nora shouted, still grinning like a maniac. "Off with their heads!"**

"They are all insane." Ghira watched in both horror and fascination. Kali couldn't cover up her laughter as she also watched the unfolding sense in fascination and amusement.

_**Nora jumps down from the top of her tower, and the food fight begins.**_

**Ruby shouts, "Yang! Turkey!"**

_**Yang rolls over to the turkeys and sticks her fists inside them, proceeding to block and punch the melons as they speed toward her. Yang uses them like gloves to punch through the barrage of watermelons thrown off a table by Nora; upon completion, Blake Belladonna then leaps in front of Yang and picks up two baguettes. Yang then throws her turkeys at Pyrrha Nikos, who dodges out of the way and grabs a single baguette, leaving Jaune Arc to take the blows.**_

_**Pyrrha and Blake duel in a one-on-one fight. Despite Blake's attempt to disorient Pyrrha with her shadows, Pyrrha knocks her back and throws three more baguettes to Yang, with the last knocking her down as well.**_

_**Ruby uses a food tray to slide towards Pyrrha across the table and hits a baguette back at her with the same tray; Pyrrha manages to dodge the shot, but is unable to stop Ruby from knocking her backwards with the same food tray. Lie Ren and Nora then charge at Ruby, but Weiss intercepts them and uses ketchup to cause Ren to slip and crash with a group tables which are launched because of the impact.**_

_**Nora jumps through these tables to grab a metal flag pole and attach a watermelon to it. She attacks Weiss but hits Ruby instead, who manages to stand between them to protect her partner from the assault; however, the force of this impact knocks her down. Weiss grabs a swordfish and engages Nora in a one-on-one, but ends up being defeated after Nora throws her against a pillar, knocking her down, and causing the pillar to break. Before the pieces crush Weiss, Ruby jumps in and saves her partner but shouts dramatically at her partner's apparent demise.**_

**Ruby was cradling Weiss in her arms. "Weiss, Weiss! Don't leave me! Nooo!"**

_**The fighting resumes, with Yang grabbing two more turkeys and duels Ren, who wields a pair of leeks. Ren is overwhelmed by Yang's reflexes and **__**takes a lot of hits before being sent a few meters into the air by an uppercut. He recovers from the strikes and throws his leeks at Yang, but she manages to dodge them and proceeds to finish Ren by jumping high enough to punch him toward the floor, knocking him out. Nora intervenes immediately afterwards and sends Yang flying through the roof with her hammer but destroys the weapon in the process.**_

_**Blake gets back up to dodge the debris of the roof and grabs a link of sausages. She whips it at a disarmed Nora, throwing her against two soda machines. This leak some soda cans that Nora throws at Blake, who manages to dodge them all. Pyrrha then uses her Semblance of polarity on the puddle of soda, causing all the soda cans on it to rise after Blake, barraging her with soda.**_

_**Ruby, the last remaining member of RWBY, then uses her Semblance of speed to dash through the food court, causing everything to follow her through the tailwind caused by her overwhelming speed. She spins like a torpedo, creating a hurricane of food that come backs at JNPR, knocking all four members out.**_

_**Team JNPR slides off the wall, leaving only their outlines.**_

Summer, Tai, Raven, Qrow, Ghira, and Kali could only stare in utter shock at the events that they just watched.

None of them could form words to express any of what they wanted to say about the food fight.

"**I love these guys." Sun comments lightly.**

_**The camera pans right to show that Neptune is drenched with soda and is not pleased. The doors behind them open and Glynda enters the room growling. She proceeds to use telekinesis to re-organize the room.**_

"Goodwitch is pissed." Tai said, rubbing the back of his neck. He was both proud and embarrassment on his children's behalf, as were Summer, Ghira, and Kali. Qrow couldn't stop laughing at Raven's beet-red face.

The older twin smacked her bother on the head, her face still red with anger, shock, and embarrassment.

"**Children, please." Glynda shouts. The camera zooms in on her face as she adjusts her glasses. "Do not play with your food!"**

_**Nora burps aloud as both Team JNPR and Team RWBY try and fail to compose themselves. A screaming Yang then crashes from the ceiling into one of the tables. Glynda grumbles. Ozpin approaches and places a hand on her shoulder.**_

"**Let it go." Ozpin says simply.**

"Thank you, Headmaster." Summer said, even though he couldn't hear her.

**Glynda sighs. "They're supposed to be the defenders of the world."**

"**And they will be, but right now they're still children." Ozpin points out. Team RWBY are shown laughing together**_**.**_** "So why not let them play the part?" Ozpin walks away from Glynda**_**.**_** "After all, it isn't a role they'll have forever." The Headmaster says ominously.**

The six adults all shiver at his last statement.

* * *

_**In an old warehouse, the White Fang are moving crates as Emerald and Mercury enter.**_

Ghira's fists clench as he watches the organization that he was leading doing menial work for a Human. Whatever Adam Taurus had planned for the White Fang would not come true. Over his dead body.

**Roman says as he spots the thief and the assassin. "Oh, look! She sent the kids again! This is turning out just like the divorce!" Roman approaches the two from behind and wraps his arms around them in a group hug.**

They all raise an eyebrow at what the crime boss just said.

**Emerald shivered in disgust. "Spare us the thought of you procreating."**

"Same." Qrow, Raven, and Tai say together.

_**Emerald and Mercury pull away from Roman.**_

"_**That**_** was a joke. And **_**this**_**... **_**just**_** might tell me where you two have been all day." Roman produces a piece of paper.**

"Thank the Gods." The twins say, shivering at thinking about mini-Romans running around.

**Emerald gasps. "What!? Agh..."**

"**I'm a professional, sweetheart. Pay attention, maybe you'll learn something." Roman said, holding up the piece of paper. "Why do you have this address?"**

Kali and Ghira froze, realizing where the conversation was going towards. Kali starting crying again, thinking about her deceased friend.

"**Wouldn't you like to know?" Emerald said smugly.**

**Roman narrows his eyes. "Yeah, I would. Now where have you been all day?"**

"**Cleaning up your problems. **_**One**_** of them, at least." Mercury said.**

Everyone but the twins flinched at Mercury referring to Tukson as a 'problem'.

"_**I had that under control."**_** Roman growls.**

**Mercury scoffs. "Two packed bags and a ticket out of Vale said otherwise."**

**Roman wasn't in the mood to play any games with the two. "Listen, you little punk. If it were up to me, then I would take you and your little street rat friend here and..."**

"**Do **_**what**_**, Roman?" Cinder interjects.**

"Fuck off you bitch." Qrow growls. He didn't know why, but something about Cinder pissed him off. His hand was clenching and unclenching, reaching for his sword. He wanted to kill Cinder, wipe that smug expression right off her face. Raven was the same way, something set her off whenever she saw Cinder or heard her speak.

Summer, Tai, and the two Faunus looked at the twins in concern, not knowing why they were so ready to kill the woman on the screen.

_**Cinder appears on a platform above them. She steps onto an automated lift, riding it down to their level.**_

**Roman laughs nervously. "I'd, uh... **_**not**_** kill them?"**

**Emerald says excitedly. "Cinder!"**

Qrow and Raven share a disgusted look with each other. "What are you? A dog wanting a bone from your master?"

**Cinder looks at the older male. "I thought I made it clear that you would eliminate the would-be runaway."**

**Roman growls. "I was **_**going to..."**_

"_**He**_** was going to escape to Vacuo! Mercury and **_**I**_** decided to take it upon ourselves to kill the rat." Emerald said, proud of herself.**

"She's like a wanting bitch." Raven comments, disgusted at Emerald. Qrow agreed with his sister, he hated people like that, they both did.

The other members of Team STRQ and the two Faunus snapped their heads in the twins' direction, creeped out and slightly disgusted at what they were saying about Emerald.

"**I think he was some sort of cat, actually." The silver haired young man commented.**

"**What? Like a puma?" His partner asked.**

**Mercury snapped his fingers. "Yeah, there ya go."**

"**Quiet. Did I not **_**specifically**_** instruct you two to keep your hands clean while in Vale?" Cinder demanded.**

_**As Cinder speaks, Roman points a finger at the pair while laughing in agreement.**_

"**I just thought..." Emerald trailed off.**

_**Roman uses his fingers to mime having a slit throat.**_

**Cinder narrowed her amber eyes at her. "Don't think... obey.**

The twins flinched back violently, their arms immediately rising to block imaginary blows that were raining down on them as they were stuck in their memories. The others paused the scene and watched the two in concern and worry, not knowing how to help them.

Qrow whimpered and Raven snapped her eyes shut, curling in on herself. The two looked terrified as they suddenly both gasped like a bucket of ice water was poured over them. The two silently shook as she grabbed at the other, needing the silent physical contact and warmth that only a sibling could bring.

After a while, they both calmed down, not looking at anyone in the room. Tai resumed the scene.

**Emerald said apologetically. "Yes ma'am. It won't happen again."**

**Cinder turned to Roman. "And **_**you.**_** Why wasn't this job done sooner?"**

**As he speaks, he points to his right, then to his left, then behind him**_**.**_** "Uh..? Eh..? Eh..? **_**Sorry**_** if I've been busy stealing **_**every**_** speck of Dust in the Kingdom!"**

"**You're an **_**inspiration**_** to every punk with a gun and a ski mask." Mercury said as Emerald laughs at the remark.**

"They're children playing at being adults." Raven said, annoyed at Mercury and Emerald's behavior.

"**Look around, kid. I've got this town running scared! Police camping out at every corner, Dust prices through the roof, **_**and**_** we're sitting pretty on an old warehouse with more Dust crystals, vials, and **_**rounds**_** than we know what to do with! Speaking of which, **_**if**_** you guys wouldn't mind filling me **_**in**_** on your grand master plan, it **_**might**_** actually make my next string of robberies go a little **_**smoother!" **_** Roman emphasizes the last word by clenching his fist**_**.**_

"Yes, do." Summer said, wanting to know what the hell was going on.

**Cinder approaches Roman**_**.**_** "Oh, Roman. Have a little faith." She places her hand on his face. "You'll know what you need when you need to know it." Roman seems entranced, but then looks away with a grunt. "Besides, we're done with Dust." She begins to walk away**_**.**_

"Creepy bitch." Tai said under his breath. He was disturbed by what Cinder was doing. Summer and the rest were also creeped out by Cinder's manipulations of the thief.

"_**O-okay**_**, then what now?" Raman asks.**

"**We're moving. Have the White Fang clear out this building. I'll send you details and coordinates tonight." Cinder demanded.**

"**Coordinates?" The man asked.**

**Cinder looked back at Roman**_**.**_** "We're proceeding to phase two."**

_**Cinder, Mercury and Emerald begin to walk away. Roman attempts to light a cigar, but realizes Emerald has stolen his lighter. She turns back to face him and sticks her tongue out defiantly.**_

"What the fuck just happened?" Taiyang asked.

"Something really screwed up." Qrow said.

"Something bad is going to happen. Death is coming." Raven said in a dark voice.

* * *

"And now the opening." Summer said, glancing at everyone. She played the opening of the second volume.

**The opening plays to **_**'Time to Say Goodbye'.**_

**The camera closes in on Beacon Academy as rose petals gently fall from the sky. A pair of silver eyes open and look forth.**

**In the school courtyard, Ruby Rose stands alone, her eyes closed and head faced down; her red cape and rose-petal aura flutters in the wind. Suddenly, she is not alone: Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long are in similar stances, manifesting their own auras: snowflakes, shadows and embers respectively as white flames consume the buildings. Ruby finally looks up into a sky with an inverted color scheme: black moon, white sky. The four girls look on as Beacon dissolves into nothingness.**

"War and death." Qrow and Raven say together. Both look at each other, not wanting to be right.

**The white oblivion turns to night, and from the full moon falls Ruby, descending towards the planet through layers of clouds. She quickly gets her bearings and spreads her limbs to slow down, petals spiraling around her.**

**Upon her maneuver, giant black gears rain from the heavens and form into a large clockwork window at the Tower of Beacon, where Ozpin stands with The Long Memory.**

"Is Ozpin going to do something that leads to war?" Taiyang asks, but no one has an answer for him. He just continues to watch and listen to the music writing down all of the lyrics he can.

**A flurry of autumn leaves summons Pyrrha Nikos overlooking Beacon, in a familiar stance with her head bowed and eyes closed until a gloved hand clasps her shoulder. She turns and smiles at her leader, Jaune Arc, as the rest of Team JNPR, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie, are right there beside her.**

**In a hallway of Beacon's library, the members of Team CRDL - Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Russel Thrush and Sky Lark - stand in defiance.**

"Dicks." Ghira mutters, the only one who heard him was Kali.

**On the street of a deconstructed town at sunset, monkey Faunus Sun Wukong and the rest of Team SSSN - Scarlet David, a red-haired youth in casual white clothes; Sage Ayana, a dark-skinned, green-haired boy wearing a white robe; and Neptune Vasilias, another male with blue hair and dressed in a red uniform resting a gun on his shoulder - stand ready for action.**

"The other members of their team." Summer said excitedly.

**Out and about on the streets of Vale, the members of Team CFVY - Coco Adel, a brunette girl with glasses, a purse, and a gold outfit; Fox Alistair, a dark-skinned boy with bladed gauntlets as red as his shirt and hair; the Beacon rabbit Faunus Velvet Scarlatina in her new brown battle gear and Yatsuhashi Daichi, a tall, tanned young man wearing a green tunic with a large sword at his back - stride toward their destination.**

"They look older, another Beacon team." Tai comments.

**At the middle of a bridge in a white, futuristic area, James Ironwood and his men - two Atlas Soldiers, four Atlesian-Knight-200s, a dark-haired boy and shorter brunette girl dressed in gray and the colorful, nervous-looking Penny Polendina - stand at attention.**

"Ironwood is going to cause a war, calling it right now." Qrow said.

"Do you _want_ countless death?!" Ghira shouts at him.

"No, but I'm being practical. With what we've already been shown, war is no doubt coming, soon. It's now a matter of being ready for it." The Branwen states.

**Before the gates of Beacon, the school's professors - Headmaster Ozpin with cane still in hand, Glynda Goodwitch to his right, Bartholomew Oobleck and Peter Port to the left - stand for their students.**

**A smiling Cinder Fall, no longer hidden in shadow, is joined in her walk through a burning city by Roman Torchwick, Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai and the familiar faces of club owner Junior Xiong and his associates, the Malachite twins Miltia and Melanie Malachite.**

"Fuck you, creepy bitch." Tai growled, worried for his kids and fearing for their safety because of Cinder lurking around.

**The flames of a jump cut show a snowy Cliffside Forest featuring many species of Grimm, from Beowolves to Ursai and even Death Stalkers until ****their numbers become a blur.**

**Ruby is still falling through the air, but when she looks to her sides, Yang, Weiss, and Blake are right there descending at the same speed, joined immediately by a multitude of other characters. They streak towards the city of Vale until Ruby lands in a crouch that decimates the stone beneath her, followed quickly by her teammates of RWBY, three members of JNPR, and more. Pyrrha is the last to land, dust from the impact blacking out the screen.**

**Suddenly, Pyrrha, now dressed in monochrome armor, is fighting one on four against CRDL, each surrounded by a color over their entire bodies, in a white amphitheater. She deflects the attack with Hallshott from Dove with her own blade Miló before transforming it into her rifle proceeding to shoot him, and then quickly transforms her rifle into the blade to knock away the green Russel before Shortwings can reach her. She defends herself with the shield Akoúo̱ from Feather's Edge from Sky while clashing against The Executioner of Cardin with her sword, but quickly shoves Lark away and slashes her weapon against the losing team's leader.**

"Imperssive." Tai and Summer comment.

"They're all weak, not really." Raven points out.

**Cinder looks up from her repose with flames burning up her neck and in her right eye as she stares at the giant winged airships ascending from the castle she is perched on and slowly flying into the night.**

"Magic!" Qrow hisses, his weapon in his hand. Raven stands as well, her own sword in hand, ready to cut down the flaming woman.

**Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang charge with weapons drawn down the lane of Beacon towards the amphitheater and the group of villains at its foot awaiting their attack. Mercury leaps forward, knocking Talaria against the flare of Yang's Ember Celica when...**

**The perspective changes to Weiss, who narrowly dodges Thief's Respite in a dark room, deflecting each of her foe's strikes with Myrtenaster...**

**And Blake, wielding both parts of her Gambol Shroud, is then shown fighting against Roman and Melodic Cudgel in the middle of Vale, whipping their weapons around as they attack...**

**Before the transitions end with Ruby at the front of Beacon, swinging Crescent Rose against the weaponless Cinder and jumping back to avoid the blaze from her opponent's hands, only to charge again.**

"Team RWBY is going to have to fight them." Ghira said, worried for his daughter and her friends.

**As she runs through the columns, Ruby's image shifts to Weiss, then Blake and lands on Yang until she punches forward, Blake coming out of the blonde with blades slicing, Weiss jumping out from the Faunus to raise her rapier, and their leader emerging last to slash once more with her sniper-scythe until the camera zooms in on her silver eye and the title of the show is seen.**

The opening ended and none of the six knew what to say.

"Do… Do you guys want to continue?" Summer asked hesitantly.

"I think we should take the day to process what we just watched." Ghira suggests, the others agree with him. Summer nods and switches the TV off and sets the remote down.

"Alright. Let's go with that." Summer said.

The two Faunus go to their room and discuss what happened to Tukson and everything else so far. Summer grabbed Taiyang and Raven's hands and led them away from the living room area. Qrow quickly grabbed onto Raven's remaining hand and squeezed it. His sister squeezed back. Both instinctively knowing that they needed comfort from each other and their team.


	23. V2C2: Welcome to Beacon

Kali and Ghira sat on their bed not speaking. They didn't really know how to start the conversation they both knew they needed to have.

"I don't want him to die." Kali started.

Ghira's head snapped to his girlfriend's. "I don't either." He whispered.

"What do we do?" The Cat Faunus asked in a broken voice. She didn't want her friend to die; she didn't want her daughter to have to witness that or the aftermath. They both wanted their daughter to be safe.

"I think we should continue watching, learn more about how the future's White Fang operates Adam, and Blake. We also still need to figure out where we fit into all of this with Blake." Ghira said.

"Okay… Okay, we'll stay. I just…" Kali sobbed into her hand.

Ghira squeezed her other hand and gave her a loving and comforting hug.

**…**

"Something is wrong. Please let us help you." Summer started as soon as they closed the door to their room.

Raven and Qrow glance at each and sigh. "What do you want to know?" Qrow whispered.

"What happened back there?" Tai asked, not wanting to push the twins, but needing something so that he and Summer could help them.

"We… you know that we are from a bandit tribe?" Raven asked. Both Tai and Summer nodded. "We started our training when we were three. I was meant, and still am meant to be the heir of the tribe and lead it when we finish with Beacon. Qrow is supposed to come back with me, but…" She trailed off, thinking about the ultimatum Qrow had been given.

"If Rae dies before we finish Beacon then I shouldn't come back. Without the heir, I'm not worth much. The only reason the tribe tolerates me is because of Raven, since she's going to be the chieftain, she tells them not to hurt me, or at least they can't kill me, no matter how much they might want to." Qrow said bitterly.

Summer and Taiyang looked ready to murder someone, primarily the twins' tribe. "What the fuck?! That's just cruel!" Tai shouted.

"That's the way of the tribe. The strong live, the weak die. They've always seen Qrow as a curse because of his Semblance; nothing will change that, not even my word or the word of the current chieftain." Raven said.

"You aren't weak! You- You both are so strong! Don't let anyone tell you differently! I won't let them! _We_ won't let them take you away from us! _We are family_!" Summer shouted, tears streaming down her face.

"Summer's right! You two are the strongest people we know! We love you and are proud and happy that both of you are on our team! You two are the strongest tag team at Beacon!" Tai said, thinking about how many ways he could kill the bastards that got into Qrow's head.

Tai and Summer pile onto the twins, the other two members of Team STRQ swore that they would show Raven and Qrow that they are loved and always have a place with them, with their family!

**…**

The six adults returned to watch the next chapter of Volume two.

**Welcome to Beacon**

_**The camera zooms in on Beacon, passing a large and unnerving ship as it descends upon a landing pad. Two Bullheads fly by as the camera slowly lowers to show ant-like swarms of people on the paths around Beacon. The camera shifts to the top of a tower veiled behind clouds. Ozpin and Glynda can be seen through the window into Ozpin's office.**_

"**Ironwood certainly loves bringing his work wherever he travels." Glynda said, staring distastefully at the fleet outside the windows.**

"He's going to start a fucking war with those damn ships." Qrow muttered.

"Something is bound to go wrong with a foreign military presence in another kingdom." Ghira says, crossing his arms.

"Question is, how much will everything go to shit?" Raven asks.

"**Well, running an academy and a military makes him a busy man." Ozpin says. **_**The camera switches to an over-the-shoulder from Ozpin's perspective as three more Bullheads fly in.**_** "But yes, those are a bit of an eyesore." **_**A chirping beep sounds repeatedly. Ozpin turns to see a hollow-message 'Access Requested' on his desk.**_** "Come in."**

_**The camera switches to a low perspective beyond Ozpin's desk and facing the doors as they slide open to reveal Ironwood as Ozpin approaches to greet him.**_

**Ironwood greets the other headmaster cordially. "Ozpin!"**

"Again, how far into the future is this?" Tai asks.

"Ironwood's a general now, and the headmaster of Atlas Academy. This must be at least ten years in the future, maybe more considering how old the girls are." Kali said.

_**Ozpin stands at attention.**_

"**Hello, General." Ozpin says politely.**

"**Please, drop the formalities." **_**Both approach and shake hands as Glynda also approaches.**_** "It's been too long. And Glynda! It has certainly been too long since we last met."**

"They're friends. Why? How?" Qrow asked, unsure of how to feel with the headmaster right now.

"**Oh, James!" She **_**gives a personable wave and then drops all pleasantries.**_** "I'll be outside." **_**She walks away.**_

"**Well, she hasn't changed a bit." Ironwood smiled a bit.**

"This is so weird!" Tai said.

"Yeah, I don't think I would ever see Headmaster Ozpin, our TA Goodwitch and Ironwood on friendly terms." Summer said, not really knowing what else to say about that.

_**As Ozpin speaks, the camera shifts and Glynda can be seen from behind Ozpin and Ironwood as she exits the room.**_

_**As Ozpin turns to his desk,**_** "So, what in the world has brought you all the way down from Atlas?" **_**He picks up a mug and a kettle, pouring as he speaks.**_** "Headmasters don't typically travel with their students, for the Vytal Festival." **_**He turns and offers the cup to Ironwood.**_

"Yeah, usually the headmasters send in their deputy or a high ranking Hunter professor." Summer said, remembering all of the rules of the Vytal Festival.

_**The camera shifts to a close-up showing the mug changing hands. A clink is heard.**_** "Well, you know how much I love Vale this time of year." **_**Ironwood produces a canteen from his inside coat pocket and pours its contents into his mug.**_** "Besides, with you hosting, I thought that this might be a good opportunity for us to catch up." **_**Ozpin walks around to his desk, kettle and a new mug in hand.**_

_**Ozpin sits and pours himself some coffee.**_** "I can certainly appreciate the quality time between friends; however, a small fleet outside my window has me concerned."**

"**Well, concerned is what brought them here." Ironwood said to the other headmaster.**

"There's going to be a war, watch." Qrow said. Summer smacked Qrow's arm to stop him from saying anything else about the general and the war he would bring. "It's true."

"Doesn't matter, shut up!" Raven said, making sure to clap a hand to his mouth until he would be quiet. It didn't take long for Qrow to settle down again and continue watching their future.

**Ozpin sighed, "I understand that travel between kingdoms has become increasingly difficult."**

**Ironwood narrowed his eyes. "Oz, you and I both know why I brought those men."**

"Why?" Summer, Kali, and Ghira all said together.

"What the hell has you so scared?" Raven asked the general.

**Ozpin takes a drink and sets down his mug**_**.**_** "We are in a time of peace. Shows of power like this are just going to give off the wrong impression." **_**Off-screen, Ironwood can be heard setting his mug down.**_

"Peace is easily broken." Raven comments. Ghira hums and nods, agreeing with the younger female.

"Very true, especially with what we have already seen. Something is bound to happen soon, something that involves our children." Ghira's voice rumbled in his worry. Kali grabbed his hand to try and help comfort him slightly.

"**But if what Qrow said is true..." The general trails off.**

Qrow and Raven sit up immediately. They were all wondering about their fates and what happens to them in the future. They already know Summer's fate, but they still don't know _how_ she died and for what purpose. Raven was MIA, Summer was KIA, Qrow was spoken about on and off by Ruby, Qrow and Glynda. Blake still hasn't mentioned having parents or anything about Kali and Ghira.

Team STRQ pays attention to what Ozpin and Ironwood say. Mostly the twins.

"**If what Qrow said is true, then we will handle it tactfully." **_**Ozpin emphasizes this as he holds up an index finger.**_** "It's the Vytal Festival. A time to celebrate unity and peace. So I suggest that you not scare people by transporting hundreds of soldiers halfway across the continent."**

"**I'm just being cautious."**

"Paranoid's another word for it." Qrow muttered.

**Ozpin gave the other man a glance. "As am I. Which is why we will continue to train the best Huntsmen and Huntresses we can."**

"**Believe me, I am." **_**Ironwood turns and walks away. He stops near the door and looks back at Ozpin.**_** "But ask yourself this: Do you honestly believe your children can win a war?" **_**He continues on his way to the exit.**_

All six of the young adults froze in shock and fear.

"**I hope they never have to." Ozpin whispers.**

'_Fuck! I didn't want to be right!'_ Qrow thought frantically, glancing at Raven and Ghira.

"Well…" Ghira shot the black haired male a small glare.

"I didn't want this! Neither of us wanted to be right about a fucking _war_, Ghira!" Qrow said rapidly.

"Maybe not, but war is inevitable at this point. It will happen, the question now is: _when_?"

* * *

**In the Beacon Academy library, Team RWBY are shown playing Remnant: The Game. The camera pans from Weiss to Yang Xiao Long, then to Blake, who is obviously distracted, before finally landing on Ruby, who has been contemplating her next move.**

"Remnant… the game?" Raven asked, looking at Summer and Tai.

The two others shrugged, not knowing what it is either. "No clue, future thing probably." Summer says.

"This is actually really interesting. We might be able to use these tactics in the future if there is a war." Qrow said.

"**Hmmmmm... All right... All right!" Ruby said, p**_**ointing at Yang.**_** "Yang Xiao Long, prepare your kingdom for battle!"**

**Yang **_**thrusts her elbow down as she balls her fist.**_** "Bring it on!"**

"**I deploy the Atlesian Air Fleet!" She s**_**laps her card down on the table. Yang feigns a look of shock.**_** "Looks like I get to fly right over your Ursai and attack your walls directly!"**

**Yang **_**feigns indigence as she points at Ruby.**_** "You fiend!"**

"Or… not." Qrow sighed, shaking his head at the sister's antics.

_**Ruby is now ducked at one end of the table. The camera zooms across the table to show the board and its player pieces in detail.**_** "And since Atlas is part of Mantle, my repair time is only one turn." **_**Ruby peaks her head up. She gives a look of surprise as, off screen; Yang can be heard laughing arrogantly.**_

_**Yang raises a card.**_** "Pretty sneaky, sis, but you just activated my trap card!" **_**Yang shows the card to the camera. Ruby is visibly disturbed.**_** "**_**Giant Nevermore!"**__**She slams the card down on the table.**_** "If I roll a seven or higher, fatal feathers will slice your fleet in two!"**

_**A scene of a Nevermore flying over a field of swords impaled in the ground plays over the conversation.**_

"Foreshadowing." Raven said with her eyes narrowed.

"But of what?" Kali mutters, worried.

_**Ruby points at Yang.**_** "**_**But**_**, if you roll a six or lower, the Nevermore will turn on your own forces!" **_**The Nevermore is shown to be turning back toward Yang.**_

"Nope, no foreshadowing." Tai said.

"**That's just a chance I'm willing to take." **_**The two glare at each other. Yang is heard shouting triumphantly off screen.**_

_**Team JNPR is shown as Yang and Ruby banter on about the game. Ren and Pyrrha are studying, and Nora's snot bubble inflates and deflates as she sleeps.**_

"Of course she wouldn't study." Ghira said, chuckling at the orange haired girl.

"**Nooooo! My fearless soldiers!" Ruby says with fake tears in her eyes.**

**Yang shrugs, "Eh, most of them were probably androids."**

"**Goodbye my friends, you will be avenged." Ruby says dramatically.**

**Yang grins, "Not until I draw my rewards! Which are **_**double**_** this round thanks to the Mistral Trade Route!"**

"**Bah!"**

**Nora **_**snores and talks in her sleep**_**. "Oh. Have pancakes."**

Qrow and Tai snort with laughter. "Of course!"

"**Oh, and what's this? The Smugglers of Wind Path?" Yang asks with a grin.**

_**Pyrrha clears her throat and then confiscates a comic book Jaune is reading, trading it for a textbook.**_

"Again, helping him." Summer says with a smile.

"To what end?" Raven asks.

"Way to kill the mood." Tai deadpans.

"Serious question. To what end is she going and willing to help him." Raven counters.

"It doesn't really matter right now. Can we get back to watching?" Kali says, defusing the situation.

"**Bah! **_**Bah**_**, I say!" Ruby exclaims.**

"**I say, it looks like I'm taking two cards in my hand!"**

_**As Pyrrha reads Jaune's comic, a Nevermore player piece is tossed over Jaune's shoulder. Another piece bounces off of his head.**_

"**Have you no heart?" **_**Ruby collapses on the table, groaning.**_** "Nooo!"**

**Yang turns to Weiss. "Well, Weiss, it's your turn."**

"Ice Princess is playing as well? Well I'll be damned. Never thought I'd see the day!" Qrow grinned, sharing a secret look with his sister. Raven rolled her eyes, but she was also watching Weiss closely.

"Uhh… guys?" Summer asked, trying to get the twins to talk.

They ignored her.

"**I have... absolutely no idea what's going on." The white haired Schnee says.**

"Not surprised. She was sheltered and didn't have this as a kid." Raven said.

"What the hell?" Qrow mutters, narrowing his eyes at Weiss and Yang.

_**Yang slides up beside her and puts her hand on her shoulder.**_** "Look, it's easy! You're playing as Vacuo which means that all Vacuo-based cards come with a bonus."**

"**That sounds dumb." Weiss says to her teammate.**

_**Yang starts looking through Weiss' cards.**_** "See, you've got Sandstorm, Desert Scavenge... Oh, oh!" **_**She pulls up a card to show Weiss.**_** "Resourceful Raider! See, now you can take Ruby's discarded Air Fleet—"**

**Ruby cried. "Nooo!"**

**Yang smiles, "—and put it in **_**your**_** hand!"**

**Weiss raises an eyebrow. "**_**Okay."**_

"**And since Vacuo warriors have an endurance against Natural-based hazards, you can use Sandstorm to disable **_**my**_** ground forces and simultaneously infiltrate my kingdom!" **_**Yang points a finger at Weiss.**_** "Just know that I will not forget this declaration of war." **_**She pulls away and returns to her seat.**_

"**And that means..." Weiss asks, trailing off.**

"**You're just three moves away from conquering Remnant!" Ruby exclaims.**

_**Weiss stands and a thunder clap accompanies Weiss' overjoyed psychotic laughter.**_** "Y-yes! Fear the almighty power of my forces! Cower as they pillage your homes and weep as they take your children from your very arms!"**

"Crazy Schnee!" Qrow jumped.

"Fucking hell, Qrow!" Raven slammed a pillow into her brother's face.

"Oi!"

"**Trap card..." **_**Yang's arm appears holding the card.**_

**Weiss stopped suddenly, mechanically looking at Yang. "Huh?"**

_**Yang shuffles the pieces on the board, Weiss' pieces disappearing in a puff of smoke.**_** "Your armies have been destroyed."**

_**Weiss slumps in her chair, cries and whines.**_** "I hate this game of emotions we play."**

Everyone in the room roared with laughter.

"Wow, she's a sour loser."

"Eh, I'd expect that out of a Schnee who's been sheltered her whole life."

_**Ruby hops into Weiss' lap.**_** "Stay strong, Weiss! We'll make it through this together!"**

"**Shut up!" **_**Weiss hugs Ruby.**_** "Don't touch me!"**

"She's warming up to Ruby! YES!" Summer shouts in triumph.

**Yang **_**puts her arms up behind her head.**_** "Alright Blake, you're up!"**

**Blake looks at Yang in confusion. "Oh, um, sorry, what am I doing?"**

"She's scattered. If that happens in a fight…" Raven says, looking at the two Faunus.

"It won't. Blake wouldn't needlessly endanger her team." Ghira says sternly.

Raven hums, "Perhaps not directly, but indirectly…. Anything could happen."

"**You're playing as Vale, trying to conquer the Kingdoms of Remnant!" Yang patiently explains.**

**Blake nods, "Right."**

**Jaune a**_**pproaches the table.**_** "Hey! Can I play?"**

"**Sorry Jaune, we've already got 4 people." Ruby says apologetically.**

**Weiss sniffs, "Besides, this game requires a certain level of tactical cunning that I seriously doubt that you possess."**

**Yang replies, "Uhh, you attacked your own naval fleet 2 turns ago." **_**Weiss makes an annoyed sound.**_

Qrow and Tai chuckle, trying to disguise it as coughing. The others aren't impressed.

"**Bring it on, Ice Queen! I'll have you know that I have been told that I am a natural born leader!" Jaune says confidently.**

**Wiess raised a brow. "By who? Your mother?"**

The others couldn't help but laugh at the blonde's misfortune.

**Jaune stopped. "A-and Pyrrha!"**

**Pyrrha waved. "Hello again!"**

**Jaune was **_**begging with both hands folded together.**_** "Come on, let me play your hand for a turn!"**

"**I'm not trusting you with the good citizens of Vacuo!"**

"Say that when you're actually there, Ice Princess. Then you'll see what your shitty father's done." Qrow said bitterly.

Tai puts a warm hand on his shoulder. "I get it, but you need to calm down." Qrow takes a breath and tries to get his Semblance under control so it wouldn't hurt anyone.

"**Why not? You've trusted me with way more important stuff before. I mean, you told us all that Blake is secretly a Fa-"**

"Seriously?!" Ghira asks.

_**Pyrrha darts over and slaps a hand over Jaune's mouth.**_** "Fun-loving person, whom we all admire and respect." **_**Jaune laughs nervously.**_

_**Everyone looks nervously at Blake who looks obviously annoyed that her secret is out.**_

"**Right. That. Ladies, enjoy your battle." Jaune **_**bows as Pyrrha walks away. Footsteps can be heard offscreen.**_

"**'Sup losers." Sun says suddenly. **_**Sun appears holding his fingers in a peace sign.**_

"Him." Ghira narrows his eyes on the Monkey Faunus, not trusting the thief with his daughter.

**Ruby smiles at him, "Hey Sun!"**

_**The camera shifts to show that Neptune is next to Sun.**_

**Sun nods to all of them while saying their names. "Ruby, Yang, Blake... Ice Queen."**

"**Why does everyone keep calling me that?" Weiss complains.**

"Cuz you are, and because you're a Schnee." Qrow waves his hand.

"**I never got a chance to formally introduce you to my old friend." Sun says, showing Neptune who was behind him.**

"**Uhh, aren't libraries for reading?" Neptune asked.**

**Ren threw his arms up**_**.**_** "Thank you!"**

"Wow, he's one of those." Tai said. Kali and Summer smacked him.

**Nora **_**popped her head up.**_** "Pancakes!"**

"I'm not surprised anymore." Ghira says.

"Watch out, she will surprise you again." Kali said, laughing.

"**Shut up. Don't be a nerd." Sun told his teammate.**

**Neptune points, **_**shaking a finger at Sun.**_** "Geh, geh, geh, geh! '**_**Intellectual**_**', okay? Thank you. " He waved**_**,**_** "I'm Neptune."**

**Weiss' cheeks start to get a pink tinge to them. "So Neptune, where are you from?"**

"She has a crush." Summer said, a happy smile on her face.

"**Haven." He says as he **_**approaches Weiss.**_** "And I don't believe I've caught your name, snow angel."**

"Not a great start." Tai said.

"Like you're any better." Raven said.

"We have a daughter together." Tai countered. Raven turned beet-red.

"S-Shut up!" She squeaked.

"**Um, I'm Weiss."**

"**Are you kidding me!?" Jaune said.**

"You have Pyrrha. If you would just open your eyes to what's right in front of you, you would be very, very happy!" Qrow said, pointing at said redhead.

**Neptune smiled. "Pleasure to meet you."**

**Sun turned to Blake. "I never took you as the board game playing type."**

_**As she speaks, she shoves Sun aside and leaves the room.**_** "Right, well, I think I'm done playing actually. I'll see you guys later."**

**Nora shrugs. "Women."**

"You're one too!" Ghira, Qrow, and Tai shout at her.

"She has the mind of a child in the body of a teenager." Raven supplied.

* * *

_**The scene switches to Team RWBY's room. The camera pans from the night sky seen through the window over to Blake as she sits with her knees folded to her chest on her bed. Voices can be heard echoing in her head.**_

"Flashback." Summer said quietly, glancing at the Faunus pair.

"**Brothers of the White Fang, why are you aiding this scum?" Blake asks furiously.**

**Roman smirks. "The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together."**

"Why?!" Ghira asks, angry at having the organization he was the leader of be taken advantage of by Humans.

_**The sounds of battle including slashes, grunts, gunfire, and Torchwick's laughter.**_

"**Well, this has certainly been an eventful evening." Ozpin says, a small smile on his lips.**

**Blake huffed. "Hmph."**

_**The scene shifts to show that Blake is sitting in an interviewing office as Ozpin enters. Blake quietly acknowledges his statement.**_

"Is she being arrested?" Kali and Ghira exclaim, hoping that their daughter wouldn't land herself in jail.

"**I'm sure that after a night of thwarting attempted robbery, you probably just want to go home and take a nap. But, I was hoping that maybe we could have a chance to talk." The Headmaster leans forward a bit.**

**Blake nods, "Of course."**

"**Wonderful. As you know, in order to enroll at my academy, students must first pass a rigorous entrance exam. Most applicants spend years of preparation training at one of the many combat schools around the world. You are one of the few that did not. And you passed the exam with flying colors." Ozpin praises.**

"**I was raised outside the kingdoms. If you can't fight, you can't survive."**

"That's very true." The twins say together.

The other four didn't say anything.

"**Well, you have most certainly survived, Blake. I admire your drive. And I am proud to run a school that accepts individuals from all walks of life. Rich, poor, Human..." He calmly **_**sips his coffee.**_** "Faunus..." Oz smiles.**

The two Faunus freeze. "That…" Kali couldn't get anything out of her throat.

"Something's not right." Raven hissed, watching Ozpin carefully. She could feel his Aura from just watching him; she knew Qrow felt the same power.

"Qrow, Raven?" Summer asked her teammates.

"Somethin's not right." Qrow shivered.

_**Blake glares at him.**_

"**Why do you wear that bow, Blake? Why hide who you are?" Ozpin questions.**

**Blake glares at him. "You may be willing to accept the Faunus, Professor Ozpin, but your **_**species**_** is not."**

Summer, Tai, Kali, and Ghira share a look. The twins were transfix on Ozpin to notice.

"**True, but we are continuing to take strides to lessen the divide."**

"**With all due respect, you need to start taking some larger strides. Until then, I'd rather avoid any unnecessary attention. I want people to see me for who I am, not what I am."**

"Everyone wishes to be accepted. But it's not that easy." Ghira says sadly.

"**And what are you?" Ozpin asks.**

**"I don't understand what you're asking."**

"**How did you know the White Fang would be at the shipyard tonight?" He gets back to the point of the interrogation.**

"**I didn't. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time." Blake denies.**

**Ozpin hums, a dangerous air around him for a moment. "You wouldn't have been the first. But what happened tonight was not an isolated incident. I may be your headmaster, but I am also a Huntsman, and it is my sworn duty to protect this world from the forces that conspire against it. Blake, are you sure there is nothing else you would like to tell me?"**

The twins' senses screamed: _danger!_ They both tense, hands on their weapons in a flash. Their red eyes darken in an instant.

"**I'm sure." The Faunus says with a straight face, not giving anything away to the man.**

"**Very well. Thank you for your time, Ms. Belladonna." **_**Ozpin stands and heads to the door. He stops and turns to Blake.**_** "If you ever need to talk to me." **_**The camera shows Blake momentarily.**_** "Please, don't hesitate to ask." **_**Ozpin shuts the door behind him.**_

The twins release the breath they had been holding. The other four just glance at each other in worry and concern over what just happened, to the twins and to Blake.

* * *

_**Team RWBY are shown entering their dorm room.**_

"**Ugh, we should have never let him play!" Yang said.**

"**You're just mad cuz' the new guy beat you! See, if you had just attacked when I told you none of this would have happened." Ruby said, sticking her tongue out at her sister.**

_**As they enter, Blake approaches the door to leave.**_

"**Stop." **_**Weiss points at Blake. Blake's hand retracts from the door knob.**_** "Lately you've been quiet, antisocial and moody!"**

"Rude." Kali says in defense of her daughter.

"True." Raven counters.

"**Uh, have you met Blake?" Yang asks.**

"See." Raven said. Summer smacks her on her arm.

"**Which I **_**get**_** is kind of your thing, but you've been doing it more than usual! Which quite frankly, is unacceptable! You made a promise to **_**me**_**, to **_**all of us**_**, that you would let us know if something was **_**wrong**_**!" She **_**flips through the air as six copies of her emblem fly through the air.**_** "**_**So**_**, Blake Belladonna, what is **_**wrong**_**!?" **_**She points her finger at Blake again.**_

Tai whistled. "Impressive."

_**Weiss is shown to be balancing precariously on a chair's back feet. She quickly puts the chair away and returns to stand near the girls.**_

"**I just, I don't understand how everyone can be so calm." Blake says.**

**Ruby **_**approaches Blake**_**. "You're still thinking about Torchwick?" The team leader asks, wanting to help her teammate.**

"**Torchwick, the White Fang, **_**all of it!**_** Something **_**big**_** is happening and no one is doing anything about it!" Blake yells.**

"I agree." Ghira said, worried about the White Fang and his daughter.

"**Ozpin told us not to worry. Between the police and the Huntsmen, I'm sure they can handle it." Yang said, trying to sooth her partner.**

**Blake grows angry. "Well I'm **_**not!**_** They don't know the White Fang like I do!"**

"**Okay, between blowing up nightclubs, stopping thieves, and fighting for freedom, I'm **_**sure**_** the three of you think that you're **_**all**_** ready to go out and apprehend these ne'er-do-wells!" Weiss asks, genuinely wanting to know what her team thinks.**

**Ruby asks **_**off scree**_**n. "Uh, who?"**

"No, you are all not ready. You are all first-years. This is too big for you all." Summer said in her 'leader voice'.

"**But let me once again be the voice of reason. We're students! We're not ready to handle this sort of situation!" Weiss says, waving her hands around.**

"At least she's thinking rationally." Summer said. Hoping that the Atlas native could get through to her team.

"**Well yeah, but..." Ruby tries.**

"No, Ruby. You are the youngest one there. You might be a leader, but you cannot do this, especially alone and inexperienced as you all are." Summer commanded, her eyes narrow on her daughter.

"**We're **_**not**_** ready!" The Schnee shouted.**

"**And we may never **_**be**_** ready! Our enemies aren't just going to sit around and wait for graduation day." Blake says, **_**pointing toward the door.**_** "They're out there, **_**somewhere**_**, planning their next move, and none of us know what it is, but it's **_**coming!**_** Whether we're ready or not!"**

"Maybe so, but get more experience! Going out half-cocked will get you killed!" Summer hissed, wanting to smack some sense into the kids.

_**Ruby raises her hand and does other random gestures, while looking manic.**_** "Okay, all in favor of becoming the youngest Huntresses to single-****handedly taking down a corrupt organization conspiring against the Kingdom of Vale... say aye.**

"Ruby, no! For god's sake, you are all children!" Summer shouts, angry at her daughter's foolishness.

**Yang p**_**umps her fist enthusiastically and points at Blake.**_** "Yes! I **_**love**_** it when you're feisty!"**

"**Well, I suppose it could be fun." Weiss said after a moment.**

"You're supposed to be the rational responsible one!" Kali, Ghira, and Summer shout at the white haired girl.

"**None of you said aye!"**

**Blake smiles a little bit. "Alright then, we're in this together!"**

**Ruby gestures around her. "Let's hatch a plan!**

"You're all going to get yourselves killed or in a very bad situation." Raven deadpanned, agreeing with her leader about the sheer idiocy that their children were capable of concocting.

**Yang points **_**'double-guns' at Ruby.**_** "Yeah!"**

**Ruby **_**gasps as she freaks out**_**. "I left my board game at the library!"**

"You fucking _child_! You're going to get yourselves killed or worse!" Raven yells.

"What's worse than death?" Kali questions Raven.

Both twins narrow their red eyes at her. "A lot." The other four tense, an itch of danger in the air around the twins.

**Weiss places her hand to her head**_**.**_** "We're doomed."**

"No shit." Qrow mutters.

**Ruby **_**ran out of the room and down the hallway**_**. "I'll be right back!" **_**The sound of collision is heard as Ruby seems to slam into the camera and disappears off screen.**_** "Oo-oof! Oh g-!" She **_**looks up,**_** "Sorry. Are you okay?"**

_**The music score takes on an eerie tone.**_

All six tense.

"**I'm fine." **_**Emerald offers her hand from off screen.**_** "Just watch where you're going." **_**Ruby is shown to be slouched on the ground as she takes Emerald's hand. Mercury stands beside them.**_

"Get away from her!" Team STRQ all jump up, brandishing their weapons at the two.

"Fucking touch her and you DIE!" Summer and Tai snarl together. No one would hurt their daughter while they lived.

"**Oh, right, sorry." Ruby**_** continues to speak as Emerald helps her to her feet.**_** "Um, I'm Ruby! Are you new?"**

_**Emerald steps aside to reveal Cinder as she approaches.**_** "Visiting from Haven, actually." **_**Emerald turns to look at her.**_

"Get the fuck away from my family!" Qrow and Raven were ready to tear the three of them apart limb from limb.

_**Ruby stares for a moment and Cinder stares back.**_

**Ruby realizes what Cinder's talking about. "**_**Ooh!**_** You're here for the festival! But exchange students have their own dormitory."**

"Ruby get away from them!" Tai shouts, almost hysterical.

"**I guess we just got turned around." Mercury speaks up for the first time.**

"No you didn't, _assassin!_ You deliberately came there to scope out targets." Qrow hissed, Harbinger in his hands, extended to Scythe mode.

"**Hey, don't worry, it happens all the time." She says, **_**Mercury and Emerald walk past Ruby.**_** "Uh, your building is **_**just**_** east of here."**

"**Thanks." **_**Cinder walks past Ruby, gesturing in acknowledgement.**_** "Maybe we'll see you around."**

"**Yeah, maybe!" **_**The camera shifts to show the faces of the trio as they continue to walk away. Behind them, Ruby can be seen waving.**_** "Oh, uh, and welcome to Beacon!" **_**Cinder grins evilly and her eyes glow menacingly as the screen fades to black.**_

The six were shaking with rage and fear.

"No one harms our family." Summer growled. She was shaking with rage, her sister Silver-Eyes glowing with emotion.

"We need to watch those three very carefully." Ghira rumbles darkly, promising death to anyone who harms Blake.

They all silently agree to protect their children and family.


	24. V2C3: A Minor Hiccup

**The Coronavirus sucks! But please everyone stay safe and stay indoors as much as possible. I hope all of us get through this safe, happy, and healthy as can be. Next chapter, sorry for the delay it's been very hectic and crazy.**

**Also, for the people wondering how long this reaction fic will go on for, I will be finishing this up either V8 or V9. However, we still have a long way ****to go before this story wraps up! So don't worry! It will take me some time to get some chapters up, but sooner or later I will get them up.**

**So, without further rambling on my part… enjoy!**

* * *

There were no words spoken before the next episode. All six needed to watch what would happen next. Kali hit PLAY.

**A Minor Hiccup**

_**Weiss patiently waiting out the minute left on her holographic clock displayed from her desk in the classroom of Professor Peter Port, whose dialogue is merely background nonsense as Jaune slides up next to Weiss.**_

"He's going to try and ask her out and she's either going to ignore him or shut him down brutally." Tai said, actually wondering what the other blond would do.

"**So, Weiss, y'know, uh, I-I was thinking after this, maybe we could go grab a bite to eat?" Jaune turns to the teacher for a second, and then turns back around. "And, uh um, I-I've got two tickets to that new Spruce Willis movie, if you wanna make the trip to Vale. I hear it's **_**awesome**_**." He pauses as his words have no effect. "Aaaand maybe after that, we could study together? I mean, you're smart and I'm, uh... Y'know."**

"Yup! That's about how I figured it would go." The blond said, a smile on his face.

Qrow was laughing at Jaune's misfortune, this time not caused by him. "Wow, that was so bad!"

_**Finally, the clock in front of Weiss gives a shrill beep as it changes from 3:59 to 4:00, and she dismisses it with a wave of her hand. The professor is temporarily unaware of the alarm.**_

**Port was posing as a towering monster about to attack. "And then I— Oh." He straightens his stance as the students start to leave**_**.**_** "Timed that one wrong, I guess. Well, the stunning conclusion to this story will have to wait. Until next time!"**

"I still can't believe this is what Pete becomes." Tai said, shaking his head.

"What? A teacher or a joke?" Qrow asked Tai with a snort.

"Stop it. He's still a qualified Huntsman. We have no idea why he decided to teach, so stop. Peter may surprise us later on." Summer scolded her male teammates.

"Come on, it's funny! You can't deny that." Tai said.

"Maybe so, but can we stop commenting on every little thing? Seriously, I want to get to something more interesting." Raven said, glaring slightly at her brother and future… husband? She didn't know what Tai was to her in the future, or where she was, and she would really like to find out, preferably soon.

**Jaune watched Weiss as she packs up her Scroll**_**.**_** "Weiss? Did you hear me?"**

**Weiss didn't even looking at Jaune as she walks away**_**.**_** "No, no, no, yes."**

_**Upon hearing this, Jaune groans and does a face plant into his desk.**_

**As the rest of Team RWBY walks out of class behind him, Yang ruffles Jaune's hair without even looking**_**.**_** "One day."**

"Never, I'd say." Raven muttered.

* * *

_**A close-up of Ruby's hands as she straps the red laces of her shoes. Switch to a close-up of Weiss' hand gripping the handle of Myrtenaster strapped to her side. Switch to a close-up of Yang's Ember Celica over her left forearm as she slides the chamber. Switch to a close-up of Blake tightening the black ribbons around her arms. Switch to full view of Team RWBY's preparations, revealing their new outfits.**_

**Blake approaches her bunk as she tightens her wraps**_**.**_** "I thought that class would **_**never**_** end."**

"**Alright, guys, today's the day! The investigation **_**begins!**_**" Ruby states in excitement.**

_**Happily leaps off her mattress and onto the floor, arms raised excitedly. She almost lands on Weiss, who is on the bottom bunk.**_

"Idiots! How did we raise such irresponsible children?" Raven hissed.

"They're going to get killed if they continue to be this naive." Qrow said, arms crossed over his chest, a frown on his lips.

"Ruby is young, hell; they all think that they're invincible. But they aren't. That will be their downfall, one or more of them will end up in a situation they won't be able to get out of easily." Summer said, her hands clenching into fists.

"I understand why Blake thinks that this is her responsibility, but she can't do this alone. That's a suicide mission. But her team should have persuaded her away from this reckless course of action." Ghira growled, looking at the children and wondering what will happen to them.

'_Do they ever break their naivety? If not… I fear for them in future viewings.' _Kali thinks in worry, clutching onto Ghira's jacket for some level of comfort.

"**I'm glad to see we're taking this **_**so**_** seriously." Weiss says sarcastically.**

**Yang turns to the white haired teen. "Hey, we've got a plan! That's... moderately serious."**

"**Right!" Ruby looks around at her teammates. "Everyone remember their roles?" Weiss stands up as the camera quickly shifts left to each member ****who states their objective.**

"**You and I will head to the CCT and check the Schnee records for any other Dust robberies or inconsistencies. Seeing as I'm in the family, it shouldn't be a problem." Weiss says as she points to Ruby.**

"That should be fine. I mean, as long as Jacques doesn't poke around." Kali said, glancing over at Team STRQ.

"Maybe, but I have a feeling that Ruby will get sidetracked with something else." Raven said, narrowing her eyes to stare at Ruby.

"What do you mean, Raven?" Tai asked his… future wife?

"Penny, we have no idea where she went after the incident at the docks." Qrow answered for his sister.

"**The White Fang has regular faction meetings to hand out orders and recruit new members. If I can get in, I can hopefully find out what they're planning." Blake said, her fist clenching.**

"That won't end well." Ghira said.

"Why not?" Tai asked.

"Fang meetings are usually held in areas where Faunus are accepted, if you're an outsider but still a Faunus and knows the rules can get in, but you're scrutinized more by the members that are at the rallies." Ghira informed the four Humans.

"**I have an old friend on the shady side of town that typically knows **_**everything**_** going on in Vale. Getting information out of him shouldn't be **_**too**_** hard..." Yang said with a small smirk.**

"Calling it, it's that bar that Yang was searching for you at, Rae!" Qrow exclaimed.

"That…. Actually makes the most sense." Summer said.

**The camera dashed back to the leader. "Great! We'll meet up tonight near Yang to go over what we found. Let's do this!" Ruby said, fist in the air.**

"Somethin's gonna happen." Qrow whispered, the twins glance at each other and then at the two Faunus.

"**Yeah!" Sun says out of nowhere, appearing from the window as he hangs upside down. Team RWBY stepped back and stares at the Monkey Faunus in shock.**

"What the hell?!" Ghira and Tai shout at the same time.

**Blake stares, surprised and alarmed, she said, "Sun!"**

"**How did you get up there?" Yang asks, brows furrowing in confusion.**

**Sun grins. "Ah, it's easy; I do it all the time."**

"He may be a thief, but he's a good one if he can use his natural abilities to his advantage." Raven praised.

"**You do **_**what?!" **_**Weiss shouts in horror.**

"That's actually impressive. I wouldn't mind seeing that." Tai said, hand rubbing his chin in wonder.

"**I climb trees all the time!" Sun states nonchalantly. Without reacting to Weiss' scowl, he flips into the dorm room**_**.**_** "So, are we finally getting back at that Torchwick guy?"**

"I bet that Neptune also comes in and joins in as well." Kali says.

"Wouldn't put it past 'em." Tai said.

**Blake stepped forward. "**_**We**_** are going to investigate the situation... as a **_**team**_**."**

**Ruby rubbed her neck. "Sorry, Sun. We don't want to get friends involved if we don't have to."**

"And yet, all of you are still going to do this even though it's a damn _suicide mission!_" Summer yelled, her silver eyes narrow in anger.

"**Psh! That's dumb! We should always get friends involved! That's why I brought Neptune!" He gestured out the window.**

_**The girls lean out the window on top of one another cartoon-style to see the aforementioned teammate of Sun's standing outside, cool as can be.**_

"Even with two more, it won't make a difference if you're caught unaware." Raven said, Team STRQ all agreed with that assessment.

**Neptune waved. "'Sup?"**

"**How did you even get up here?" Ruby asked.**

**Neptune smirked. "I have my ways."**

"I'm saying it again. They are all idiots!" Raven exclaimed, throwing up her hands.

_**The camera pans out to reveal that he is standing on a very thin ledge circling the building under the windows.**_

**Neptune looked down a bit and started nervously, "Seriously though, can I come in? We're like, **_**really**_** high up right now."**

"How… just… I don't understand." Qrow moaned from the utter stupidity and sheer recklessness that Ruby's team and their friends were doing.

_**Inside the dorm room, the group is standing in a circle as Ruby lays down the new plan.**_

"**Alright, I'll go with Weiss; Sun, you can go with Blake." She starts, as she pushes Neptune past Weiss, he slips her a wink. Weiss looks mildly shocked but then comes to her senses quickly**_**.**_** "And Neptune, you can go with Yang since she doesn't have a partner. Everyone good?"**

"**Actually, Ruby, why don't you go with Yang? After all, she **_**is**_** your sister." Weiss tries to say.**

_**Ruby pushed Neptune, who is stiff as a board, up next to yang. When she is done pushing him, he rocks back and forth looking nervous. Yang put her hand on his shoulder to stop him from rocking.**_

**Ruby frowns and looks at her partner. "But, Weiss, who would go with you, then?"**

"**Well... I guess Neptune could come with me." Weiss glanced between Ruby and Neptune.**

**Neptune puts on a suave look and points at Weiss as the team leader cracks up. **

"**Hahaha, nah!" Ruby laughs.**

_**Weiss is obviously less than amused, yet is powerless to stop Ruby from pulling her by the back out the door.**_

**Weiss sticks her arms out fruitlessly trying to get back to Neptune**_**.**_** "But! **_**But!"**_

"Ice Princess' got a crush!" Qrow sang, a vicious smirk on his face. He couldn't wait to lord this over the girl when he got the chance.

* * *

_**The scene changes to that of a monumental tower that looms over the sparse trees growing around the crossroads below.**_

"**Woooow! I forget how big the Transmit tower looks up close!" Ruby cranes her neck upwards to look at the large tower.**

"**You should see the one in Atlas!" Weiss says smugly.**

**Ruby tapped her chin, "That was the **_**first**_** one, right?"**

**Weiss nods, "Correct."**

_**Weiss and Ruby are seen walking down the path towards the building.**_

"**Atlas developed the Cross Continental Transmit System to allow the four kingdoms to communicate with one another. It was their gift to the world after the Great War." Weiss informed the cloaked Huntress in training.**

**Ruby acting high and mighty. "Oooh, look at me! My name's Weiss! I know facts! I'm rich!" She snorts into her hands at Weiss' frown.**

Summer, Taiyang, and Qrow laugh at Ruby's imitation of the Schnee girl.

"**Don't be a pest! Besides, the only reason **_**we're**_** here is because **_**you**_** like the tower so much! We could have just as easily made a call from the library!" Weiss scowled at her team leader.**

"**I know, but it's so **_**coool!**_** Ooh, I'm going to take a picture!" Ruby said, her excitement clearly showing.**

I wonder who she got that from." Qrow said with a smirk, Ruby was a genius in her own right, that much was proven with Crescent Rose and how she handles it.

Summer turns red and says, "She knows how to wield that oversized gardening tool 'cus of you, Qrow. Don't forget that you're her teacher." It's Qrow's turn to blush red now.

Taiyang, Raven, Kali, and Ghira all laugh at the two of them, their banter making the viewing much more enjoyable.

_**She grabs her Scroll from a pocket on her clothes, but in her excitement, the device is launched from her hands, bouncing along the pavement until it lands at Penny's feet.**_

"**Oh!" Penny picks up the Scroll and extends towards the clumsy teen. "You dropped this."**

"Penny?!" The six adults say in shock.

"I knew it!" Qrow grinned and threw up his arms.

**Ruby looked shocked. "**_**Penny?!**_**"**

**Penny was similarly surprised by seeing her new friend, she couldn't really say anything.**

"**Where have you been? We haven't seen you since that night at the docks!" Ruby asked with worry.**

"That's what we'd like to know as well." Raven said.

"**S-Sorry. I think you're confused. She suddenly hiccups, throwing the Scroll into Ruby's hands**_**.**_** "Uh... I've got to go!" She turns quickly and walks away**_**.**_

**Weiss turned to Ruby. "What was that about?"**

The six adults looked at each other in confusion.

"**I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Ruby starts walking in Penny's direction as she shouts back to her partner**_**,**_** "You go make your call! I'll meet up with you later!"**

**Weiss reached toward Ruby, "Wait!" Seeing the futility of stopping her teammate, she lowers her hand and sighs angrily.**

**Ruby ran up to Penny as she descends the steps until she gets in front of the non-eccentric redhead. "Penny! Where have you **_**been**_**? It's been weeks!"**

'_At least we know how much time has passed.'_ Kali thought, thinking back to Blake's interrogation.

"**There seems to be a... misunderstanding." Penny says with a frown.**

"**What?!" Ruby asks in shock, not understanding what's going on with her friend. Penny continues to walk away. Ruby slides down the rail next to her**_**.**_** "Penny... Is everything okay?" Penny continues forward without reaction. Ruby grabs her by the arm. "Penny, please stop!" Penny finally stops and listens**_**.**_** "Look, I don't know what's wrong, but you **_**have**_** to listen to me! Those guys we fought at the docks, we think they're up to something big, something bad! I need you to tell me what happened to you that night! **_**Please**_**... As a friend."**

**Penny, sighing, and then glancing to her sides swiftly, she walks over to Ruby's side and leans in close. "It isn't safe to talk here."**

_**Penny looks around suspiciously, much to Ruby's confusion.**_

"What the hell?" Tai asked.

"She's hiding something." Raven said, eyes narrowed onto the redhead.

"Ruby is going to get Penny involved in their chase for Torchwick." Summer said in anger.

* * *

_**Weiss walks through the grand, glowing lobby of the tower with pride, avoiding the central terminal and heading straight for the elevator doors, which slide open automatically and close when she's inside. The voice of the CCT AI is projected from a panel near the door.**_

**CCT AI: "**_**Hello. Welcome to the CCT. How may I help you?"**_

"**I'd like to go to the communications room, please." Weiss says politely.**

**CCT AI: "**_**Absolutely. Could you please place your Scroll on the terminal to verify your identity?"**_

**Weiss retrieves her Scroll and places it as directed. **

**CCT AI: "**_**Perfect! Thank you, Miss Schnee."**_

_**Upon the elevator's ascent, Weiss' expression shifts from pleasant to serious. Upon entering the room, four symbols are seen on a computer - twin axes and wreaths, three flying swords pointing down, a spear and shield inside a fragmented circle, and a precise winged shape. Weiss walks up to the front desk where a holographic secretary appears in the seat.**_

**Beeps are heard before the projection speaks in a polite manner.**

**CCT AI: "**_**Welcome to the Beacon Cross Continental Transmit center. How may I help you?"**_

"**I need to make a call to Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas." The heiress said.**

**CCT AI: "**_**Absolutely. **__**If you could head over to Terminal 3, I'll patch you through."**_

**Weiss smiled at the AI. "Thank you!"**

_**Weiss smiles and nods before walking over to her assigned cubicle-like computer, passing a few Beacon students in uniform - one of which is talking to her mother and asking how things are going back in Signal Academy. She sits at her own display, taking a deep, unhappy breath to prepare for the call ahead. The face of a short-haired brunette appears on the monitor with the Schnee snowflake rotating behind her. She does not realize who she is talking to until she looks up.**_

**SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "**_**Thank you for calling the Atlas- Oh! Miss Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch you through to your father? I think your sister Winter might be here as well."**_

**Weiss smiles pleasantly. "No, thank you! I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me. I've compiled a short list."**

_**Weiss produces her Scroll, placing it into a slot on the keyboard, creating a series of noises as the Operator looks at the data from her side of the screen.**_

**SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "**_**I see. If you don't mind... what may I ask is this for?"**_

"**School project." She replies easily.**

**SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "**_**Um... There are some sensitive documents on this list, ma'am."**_

"**Well, then, I'll be sure to treat them with care." Weiss said, a bit of a frown forming.**

**SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "**_**Right... Very well.**__**The data is being transferred to your Scroll now."**_

"**Wonderful! That will be all, then." Weiss says with finality.**

**SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "**_**Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your father before you go?"**_

_**Weiss loses her smile, but quickly replaces it.**_

"**Yes, I'm sure." The heiress says coldly.**

**SCHNEE CORP OPERATOR: "**_**Well, then... Have a nice day!"**_

_**The call is dropped, and so too is Weiss' happy act, seen in the screen's reflection.**_

"She has good acting skills." Kali said, concerned for the girl since finding out what the White Fang had done to her and her family.

"Considering the family she had to grow up in… I wouldn't doubt that she's had a lot of practice to putting on the perfect mask." Summer said with a scowl. She wanted nothing more than to go to the Schnee patriarch and slap him for what he has made his own children endure.

* * *

"Back to Penny and Ruby." Tai pointed out.

_**Penny stands alone near a two-story building with patio furniture and she is looking around nervously when a hand grabs her shoulder, causing her to jump. She turns to see Ruby grinning. She smiles in return. The scene moves to the two strolling down the street.**_

"**I wish I could help you, Ruby, but I don't know anything about those men." Penny said.**

"**Well, what happened to you that night? We were all together, and then you just disappeared! Were you kidnapped?" Ruby asked.**

"**Oh, no! Nothing like that!" Penny quickly reassured her.**

"**Then where **_**did**_** you go?" Ruby asked, frowning in obvious worry.**

"**I've never been to another kingdom before. My father asked me not to venture out too far, but... You have to understand, my father loves me **_**very**_** much; he just worries a lot." Penny said, trying to appeal to the other girl.**

"**Believe me, I know the feeling." Ruby grins and Penny grins back**_**.**_** "But why not let us know you were okay?"**

"You're an overprotective father in the future. Good to know." Summer said to Tai, sharing a glance with Raven.

"I… What? Why?!" Tai cried. "That's not fair; I don't know what happens…" Tai pouts.

"**I... was asked not to talk to you. Or Weiss. Or Blake. Or Yang. Anybody, really." Penny said with her head bowed.**

**Ruby frowned, concerned for her friend. "Was your dad that upset?"**

"Wow, Penny's Dad sounds like one of those parents who won't let their kid out of the house unless they're with them." Tai said. The blond frowned, hoping that he wouldn't be that over the top with Ruby and Yang. But if something does happen to Summer and Raven…

"Somehow, I get the feeling that Penny's father wasn't angry, more so he was worried for her safety." Kali said, Ghira agreed with his girlfriend.

**Penny shook her head. "No, it wasn't my father..."**

Raven, Qrow, and Ghira all sucked in a breath.

"The girl's from Atlas! She has to be, that strange attire would only be worn by Atlas natives, especially young girls." Ghira suddenly said.

"That girl isn't normal, something is off about her." Raven said, thinking back to Team RWBY's first meeting with the redhead and then the fight on the docks. "Something is going on with her."

"Ironwood!" Qrow spat, red eyes narrowed as his hand gripped Harbinger's handle tightly. "Penny has something to do with why Ironwood brought a fleet of military ships to Beacon! Something is going on, and whatever it is will lead to a war."

_**Before she can continue, she and Ruby hear the sound of megaphones announcing something, turning around the corner to look at the platform in the center of a plaza where the holographic image of James Ironwood is seen before six AK-130 Androids, who are in turn standing in front of two large metal storage cases with the spear-and-shield emblem on their doors.**_

The twins snarled, their red eyes glowed with barely repressed anger.

"Robots are inefficient fighters when fighting against Humans and Faunus." Ghira said with his arms crossed, amber eyes narrowed, watching the General of the Atlesian Military.

"_**The AK-130 has been a standard security model of Remnant for several years, and they have done a fine job. Wouldn't you agree? Wouldn't you agree?" **_**Ironwood questioned. The clapping of the gathered audience causes the drones to take a jerky bow. "**_**But... the kingdom of Atlas is a kingdom of innovation, and 'fine'... Well, that's just not good enough, is it? Presenting... the Atlesian Knight-200!"**_

**The doors to the cases roll up, and six new, bulkier, shinier automatons stand at attention before knocking their obsolete predecessors down to the applause of the watchers. "**_**Smarter, sleeker, and admittedly, a little less scary."**_** The robots flex and pose as a demonstration, "**_**These models will become active later this year, but they won't be alone! Now, the Atlesian Military has always supported the idea of removing men from the dangers of the battlefield. However, there are still many situations that will undoubtedly require... a human touch."**_

'_What is he...'_ Summer furrowed her brows and then gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth in utter shock.

Her team and new friends looked at her but she was fixed on the scene playing in front of them.

_**The last line draws Ruby's attention.**_

"**Ruby..?" Penny whispered nervously, stepping back, looking ready to run away.**

"_**So, our kingdom's greatest minds, in cooperation with the Schnee Dust Company, are proud to introduce... the Atlesian Paladin!" **_**Ironwood announced.**

Summer paled in horror, as did the two Faunus. "No…" Summer breathed.

"Sum? What's wrong?" Taiyang asked his leader.

"This is really bad!" Kali gripped Ghira's arm even tighter that his hand was losing color. Ghria couldn't respond, he just stared in mute horror and then wiped his head around to Summer.

"You know something." He stated, Summer flinched.

"I… I think I know what Penny is. I might know what the White Fang, Torchwick and those other three wanted with that Dust." Summer said slowly, her head bowed and her shoulders shaking.

The white cloaked female lifted her head, showing tears streaming down her face. "It's bad, Ghira. I think they plan on stealing the paladins and using the Dust to create a chain-reaction explosion either sometime during the Vytal Festival or in the finals when all of the attention won't be on the kingdom. They plan on attacking Vale and blaming Atlas. It will lead to a war."

The others were horrified and stunned by Summer's revelation. "How do you know that, Summer?" Raven asked, eyes only on her leader.

Summer only said two words and then it all clicked for the others. "Mountain Glen."

Everyone was silent as they tried to process all of what Summer had just told them. After a while they wanted to continue watching what would happen. If war was going to happen, it would be better to know who and what they were facing beforehand to try and stop it, or at least prevent needless deaths.

_**Ironwood's image is replaced with the hologram of a robotic white behemoth, featuring hinged piston legs, large guns for hands, and a rectangular head, standing at least twice as tall as the Knights below it.**_

"_**Now, we couldn't have him here for you today, but these mechanized battle suits will be seen defending the borders of our kingdom within the year!" **_**Ironwood's voice carried over the crowd.**

'_Not good!'_ Qrow's hands balled up into fists just thinking about the destruction those mech-suits could cause on a populated area. Sure, him and Raven may be bandits, but even they didn't like to see the carnage of an attack or worse, cause it.

**Ruby was hunched in awe. "Whoa..."**

**Penny looked around, concerned to be recognized. "Ruby? Maybe we should go somewhere else."**

_**At the side of the stage, two armored soldiers see Penny, pointing her out and calling in backup. Penny backs away and then breaks into a dead run, which snaps Ruby out of her weapon-awe-induced stupor.**_

'_Something's not right.' _Summer thought. Penny is a catalyst for _something_, she just knew it. But _what_? That was the big question that the Silver-Eyed Warrior couldn't answer as of yet.

"**Penny! Wait! Where are you going?" Ruby shouted after her friend.**

_**Ruby turns to look back at the soldiers chasing after her friend, and realizing Penny's situation, swiftly follows her in an attempt to catch up down the winding alley.**_

**The Atlas soldier gestured to his partner. "Down here! She went this way!"**

"What the hell is she?" Tai asked in vain. No one answered him; they were all fixed on watching how the scene would play out.

_**Penny and Ruby run across the street with the soldiers following them, though a honking car nearly runs one over. He manages to brace his hands against the hood, which somehow stops the vehicle, and his partner runs along after the girls.**_

_**Ruby is still trying to catch up with Penny, but a high stack of crates on a flimsy support is easily cut down by Crescent Rose, causing a wooden avalanche of boxes to block the path. Seeing Penny right ahead of her, Ruby leaps into the air and lands on the alley wall, ricocheting off to grab Penny around the middle.**_

"**This way!" Ruby grimaces before the two disappear in a flash of red and rose petals.**

"Damn, that Semblance! I forgot about that." Tai said, remembering the 'Red Trailer' and seeing the effects of Ruby's Semblance has on her, and now seeing it used on another person as well.

_**Ruby dashes away as fast as she can while carrying Penny, but the strain is too great, and they crash to the ground a short while later, with Ruby falling all the way into the street. She gets up slowly, and in her dazed state, she doesn't notice the large truck coming up from behind her until the honking is too late of a warning. She stands up just as she's about to be hit, but from out of nowhere, Penny pushes Ruby out of the way and holds her palms out.**_

_**In the split second where the two make contact, the ground beneath Penny cracks and crumbles into pieces, and the From Dust Till Dawn truck is lifted a little ways into the air by the girl's sheer strength. She puts it down, and the Shopkeeper stares in awe at the crumples in his hood, just like the Huntress who got saved.**_

The six just stared in utter disbelief and horror. Six jaws looked like they were about to unhinge like a snake's from what the team of student Hunters and the two Faunus had just seen. It didn't seem possible, but it was. It was there in plain view.

"I… I didn't think I was right…" Summer breathed in fear, her hands as white as her cloak.

**Ruby's eyes were wide, terrified, and uncertain. "Penny..?"**

**Penny asked the shopkeeper, "Are you okay?"**

**The shopkeeper nodded, obviously scared. "Uh-huh..."**

_**Penny backs away, looking at Ruby's frightened expression, then at the bystanders murmuring to each other in an attempt to understand what just happened. In her panic, she runs from the Atlas soldiers still chasing her down and bumps into Ruby, knocking the poor girl out of her stupor as her friend tries to get away again.**_

"**Penny! Come back!" She starts going after Penny as the people look at the destruction Penny caused with her bare hands and the soldiers find they lost their target.**

**Penny came to a stop once she gets out of the alleyway, looking around for where to run next. "Um... Uh..." The redhead tries to say.**

**Ruby came up to Penny, exasperated. "Penny! Please! What is going on?! Why are you running? How did you **_**do**_** that?!"**

**Penny was nervous again. "I-I can't! Everything's fine!" She starts to hiccup with each lie. "I-I don't want to talk about it!" Another hiccup.**

"That's her tell." Qrow muttered, too low for anyone but Raven to hear him. She glanced at him and took his hand.

"It won't happen." She leaned into him and whispered in his ear.

"I hope so. I want our family to be complete." Qrow says desperately.

"I know, I do too. You will find someone." Raven gave her twin a small real smile. One that she only shows around her team.

Qrow turned pink at that notion but didn't say anything against it. "I hope. I really want someone to see me for more than my Semblance." Qrow said with his head slightly bowed in the crook of Raven's neck.

Raven moved her head slightly to give her brother a small peck on his forehead, a warm smile on her lips. "I'm sure you will find someone like that." Raven grins, "We may even see that while watching." Qrow turns an even darker shade of pink but he couldn't hide his smile. He was excited at that, finding someone that loves him regardless of what he is.

"**Penny, if you can just tell me what's wrong, I can help you!" The young girl says desperately.**

**Penny retreated from her friend. "No! No, no! You wouldn't understand..."**

"**Let me **_**try**_**! You can trust me!" The dual-haired girl said.**

**Penny finally relents, coming up to Ruby's face desperately. "You're my friend, right? You promise you're my friend?!"**

**Ruby says softly, "I promise."**

**Penny was silent for a second, then, looking down at her hands. "Ruby... I'm not a real girl."**

_**Penny shows Ruby the toll of stopping the truck that would have killed her: Parts of her palm's skin have ripped away, revealing the gray metal underneath. Penny stares sadly at Ruby's face, now completely astounded by her friend's secret as all she can simply say before the screen goes black and the credits roll is...**_

"**Oh."**

They were silent after the screen turned black.

"I… I think we all need some time to process what we just watched." Kali said. They all agreed.

Kali and Ghira went to their room, Summer and Tai went to go get food since they were starting to get hungry and were about to ask the twins what they wanted, but saw that the two were solely focused on themselves.

"Let's leave them alone. I think this is something they need to deal with alone. We'll help them when they ask for it." Summer whispered to the blond who was about to protest.

Raven lifted her head, a grateful smile on her lips directed to her leader. Summer beamed and leaned down to place a small kiss on Raven and Qrow's foreheads. The twins smiled up at their teammates, grateful and happy that they had such support.

"We'll be here whenever you're ready." Tai promised. The twins just resumed cuddling with each other, taking in the silence and the other twin's heartbeat.


	25. V2C4: Painting the Town

**I have had writer's block and I needed some time to get back to this fic. Sorry for the wait!**

* * *

Team STRQ and their two new Faunus friends came back to watch their futures after a day to take the time they all needed to talk and process what had been shown.

**Painting the Town**

They started watching silently and took in what the robot-girl was saying.

_**In the deserted alleyway with a graffiti-marked dumpster as Penny reveals her secret to Ruby.**_

"**Penny, I-I don't understand..." Ruby says, confused by what her friend was telling her.**

"**Most girls are born, but I was made. I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of generating an Aura." Penny turns her head to the side sadly**_**.**_** "I'm not real..."**

Summer and Kali look down sadly at that statement made by Penny.

**Ruby took Penny's hands in her own**_**.**_** "Of course you are. You think just because you've got nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me?"**

Summer and Tai smile at each other, glad that Ruby's showing compassion and is understanding towards Penny.

"**I don't... um..." Penny leans in close to Ruby's face**_**.**_** "You're... taking this **_**extraordinarily**_** well."**

"Yeah, why though?" Qrow asked, glancing to Summer and Taiyang.

"**You're not like those things we saw back there." Ruby taps her chest**_**.**_** "You've got a heart, and a soul; I can feel it!"**

"She has compassion. Her kindness is not faked like most." Kali said with certainty.

"Do you think that she really does? Have a soul?" Qrow asked.

"I mean, it seems like she has Aura, and you can't produce Aura without a soul…. So technically, Penny does have a soul." Taiyang said to his teammate.

"But why would Ironwood create a robot, more than that, how in the hell did he give it an Aura?" No one could answer Qrow.

"We will most likely find out later, just keep watching." Raven told her brother.

"**Ooohh... oh Ruby!" The android girl grabs Ruby into a hug and shakes her back and forth. "You're the best friend anyone could have!"**

"**I can see why your father would want to protect such a delicate flower!" Ruby groaned while she was being crushed by the other girl.**

The six adults cracked smiles at the scene.

**Penny releases Ruby, fully back to her happy self**_**.**_** "Oh, he's **_**very**_** sweet! My father's the one that built me! I'm sure you would **_**love**_** him!"**

"I wonder who that would be." Ghira said softly, looking between Summer and Tai.

**Ruby giggles, "Wow. He built you all by himself?" The red-cloaked girl was impressed.**

**Penny nods, "Well, almost! He had some help from Mr. Ironwood."**

"Shit." Raven hissed, Qrow tensed and grabbed his sister's hand.

"Calm down, Rae. We'll find out later, we have too." Qrow whispered.

"That doesn't help when we know something is going to happen. I just… I don't want our family to die." She whispered to her brother.

"I know that. But unless we watch our future, we won't know what to prevent."

"**The General?! Wait... Is that why those soldiers were after you?" Ruby asked, worried for her friend.**

"**They like to protect me, too!"**

**Ruby scoffs, "They don't think you can protect yourself?"**

"**They're not sure if I'm ready yet... One day, it will be **_**my**_** job to save the world, but I still have a lot left to learn. That's why my father let me come to the Vytal Festival. I want to see what it's like in the rest of the world, and test myself in the Tournament." Penny told the young Silver-Eyed Warrior.**

Qrow and Raven paled and started to tremble. Ghira caught this and paused the chapter. "Raven, Qrow?"

The twins breathed harshly through gritted teeth. Both were terrified by something, and it was concerning the others. But what could the others do without the twins telling them what was wrong.

"Raven? Qrow? Please tell us what's wrong." Summer tried to touch Raven's shoulder but her hand was smacked away as Qrow pulled his sister away from their team leader in fear.

"Get away!" He screamed. The two other members of Team STRQ jerked back, not expecting such a reaction from Qrow. Ghira and Kali didn't understand what was happening with the twins, but they would help in any way they could.

"**Penny, what are you talking about? Save the world from **_**what**_**? We're in a time of peace!" Ruby exclaimed.**

**Penny frowned, confused. "That's not what Mr. Ironwood said..."**

The twins' shaking got worse when Penny said that. Both flinched and closed their eyes. The other four adults didn't know what to do so for the time being they left the twins to their running thoughts and to each other.

Taiyang and Summer kept sneaking glances to the twins, but that was it. "They will be okay." Tai said, trying to put a reassuring smile on his face, but it turned into a grimace.

"Yeah, they are partners after all, and twins. They've been together longer than we have." Summer whispered, still worried and nervous.

"Well Raven did create a portal to Qrow immediately after they were launched into the forest to make sure that he would be her partner." Tai told her.

"What? How do you know?" Summer asked, thinking back to their initiation.

"I wanted Raven as my partner. I was about to come out a reveal myself to her when she disappeared and then reappeared with Qrow next to her. Then I found you. I'm glad I did." Tai smiled at the short woman.

Summer blushed and chuckled softly. "I'm glad we found each other as well. I'm glad that I have you three as my team and I'm glad to experience this along with you, Ghira, and Kali." She laid her head on the blonde's shoulder as she looked to the two Faunus. They smiled at them.

"You two do make a cute couple. No matter what happens, I know that Yang and Ruby will have amazing parents and role models with you four as family." Kali said.

Taiyang and Summer blush a bright red. "Thank you Kali. But I'm still a bit… worried about how to make… this work." Tai said, glancing back to Raven. "I have a daughter with Raven and I have a daughter with Summer. I… I don't know how to deal with that dynamic. I don't know what to do." He confessed, looking at Summer with a conflicted expression on his face.

"I think we all need to take this slow for now. Whatever happens we will do it together, the six of us. You two are also family; we will help you with the White Fang, and whatever else you need. We are friends, but we are family, I can feel it. Ruby, Yang, Weiss, and Blake…. They aren't just a team, they are family, always." Summer took Taiyang's hand and squeezed.

Both Faunus smile and nod to the leader. "Let's keep watching, maybe that way Raven and Qrow will come back." Ghira suggested, taking a moment to assess the two Branwen's. The other three nod and turn back to the TV.

"**Check down here!" The first soldier shouted.**

**Penny grabs Ruby by the shoulders. "You have to hide!" She lifts Ruby above her head effortlessly**_**.**_

**Ruby struggles and screams as she is carried toward the dumpster**_**.**_** "Penny, wait! What are you doing? You don't have to go with them! I can help you!"**

**Penny throws Ruby in the trash and lifts the lid so she can still talk**_**.**_** "It's okay, Ruby. They're not bad people; I just don't want to get **_**you**_** in trouble. Just **_**promise**_** me you won't tell anyone else my secret. Okay?" She gravely stares at Ruby**_**.**_

"**I promise." Ruby whispers.**

_**Ruby lowers her head into the garbage as the lid is put down, but she lifts it a little to peek at the scene outside.**_

"**There she is!" The first soldier called out.**

**Penny waved to them, "Sal-u-tations, officers!"**

"**Why were you running? And what happened to the other girl?" The first soldier asked.**

"**What **_**girl**_**? I've been by myself all day!" Penny hiccups loudly, then smiles**_**.**_

"**You shouldn't cause such a scene." The first soldier said sternly.**

"**Are you okay?" The second soldier asked in concern.**

**Penny shows off her 'injured' palms**_**.**_** "Just a scratch."**

**The first soldier sighed, "Penny, your father isn't going to be happy about this."**

**The second soldier put out his hand to Penny. "Please, just come with us."**

"**Yes, sir!" Peeny said, smiling at the two soldiers.**

_**Penny and the soldiers are heard walking away as Ruby looks on in sadness... until a rat screeches from below her feet, causing the young Huntress to fall and close the lid on herself.**_

* * *

_**In the ruined parts of Vale, the sound of an engine gets closer and closer until Bumblebee pulls into the street and stops just short of the camera, showing Yang Xiao Long behind the handlebars in her matching helmet.**_

**Yang took off the helmet, talking to someone off-screen as she gestures with her thumb to the music playing nearby**_**.**_** "Come on, my friend's right in here!"**

"She's going to the club that she went to when she was searching for Raven." Taiyang realized.

"Do you think Junior would tell her anything he knows?" Ghira asked.

"Possibly, let's watch." Summer said.

_**Yang gets off the bike to reveal Neptune sitting right behind her, hair and goggles messed up with a petrified expression of terror on his face.**_

"**Cool..." Neptune says, sounding dizzy. He shakes his head, somehow perfectly fixing his appearance, and gets off the cycle, looking around worriedly**_**.**_** "And where exactly is... here?"**

_**The music from Junior's Club gets louder once inside to show Junior behind the bar adjusting his cuffs as his Henchmen stock the bottles, carry boxes, and otherwise stand around on the dance floor, until...**_

**A henchman ran inside the club and started shouting, "Hurry, close the door - she's coming!" He and another Henchman proceed to roll the doors shut and keep them closed with their bodies.**

**Junior walked out from behind the bar. "What are you two idiots doing?!" He shouted.**

_**The Henchmen shout incoherently until an explosion knocks them to the ground and forces the doors open, allowing a familiar face to walk in through the smoke as **__**"I Burn"**__** starts playing.**_

"Yang's theme!" Taiyang smiles, remembering his older daughter's song.

"**Guess who's **_**back**_**!" Yang smirked.**

_**Yang continues to smile and pose as eight guns are pointed in her face with an equal number of angry Henchmen behind them. Though this doesn't faze her, she stops and glares at the recording studio where the track is messing up until the frightened bear-headed DJ takes the needle off the record and retreats back under the table.**_

"Well they certainly fear her if this is how they're acting." Ghira said.

"It's probably because she completely trashed the club the last time she was there and almost killed Junior and the others." Summer said.

**Neptune appeared behind Yang as the Henchmen continue hoisting their guns**_**.**_** "Yeah, so could you define 'friend' for me?"**

"**Stop, stop! Nobody shoot." The mob boss cuts his way through the crowd of goons, straightening out his tie**_**.**_** "Blondie, you're here! ...Why?"**

"_**You**_** still owe me a drink." Yang smirks as she grabs Junior by the arm and drags him to the bar through the hired guns.**

"Yang is ballsy." Tai said, glancing at Raven. She had a small smile on her face as she saw her daughter.

"I wonder who she got that from." Kali asks, a knowing grin on her face.

"**Whoa-ho-ho-ho, what a woman..." Neptune breaks from his love-struck staring to see the twins Melanie and Miltia Malachite standing beside him**_**.**_** "'Sup?"**

Ghira shakes head, Tai, Summer and Kali chuckle at his attempts.

**Melanie and Miltia roll their eyes. "Whatever." They walk away, noses in the air.**

"Idiot." Raven muttered, Qrow snorted.

At least the two were out of their heads for now. Summer, Taiyang, Kali, and Ghira would be watching them, and making sure whatever happened to them wouldn't happen again, or if it did that they would help them. Raven and Qrow were family, always.

* * *

"The White Fang…" Ghira whispered, Kali tightened her grip on Ghira's hand to keep him grounded with whatever they were about to watch.

_**Meanwhile, Blake's fingers trace three scratch marks on a wall before peeking around its corner and seeing a pair of horned Faunus as they are ushered into a building by a bearded man. She turns to Sun next to her.**_

"**This is it."**

"**You sure?" Sun asks as Blake glares at him and starts moving towards the entrance while unfastening her bow, "Y'know, I'm just gonna take your word for it."**

"Yeah, that's a good idea. You may be a Faunus Sun, but you don't know how the White Fang works… And apparently, neither do I." Ghira mutters the last part, his fist clenched.

"We will fix it. Somehow, we won't let this happen." Kali reassures.

_**The two walk inside the building to a hallway filled with cases, seeing another man announcing "New recruits, keep to the right!" at the young pair as they follow.**_

"**I don't get it." He holds out the half-mask in his hand**_**.**_** "If you believe what you're doing is right, why hide who you are?"**

"That's what I'm wondering as well." Ghira muttered in worry.

"**The masks are a symbol. Humanity wanted to make monsters out of us, so we chose to don the faces of monsters." The Cat Faunus said angrily.**

Kali and Ghira flinched at Blake's tone. Raven and Qrow looked at each other and then at the two Faunus in the room. "It seems like we are not the only ones that Humanity still fears." Raven said.

"What do you mean, Raven?" Summer asks, happy that the other female was talking again.

"Many fear what they do not understand." Raven said. The others waited for Raven or Qrow to say anything else, neither did, they just turned back to watching the future.

"**Grimm masks... That's kind of dark." Sun muttered, glancing her way.**

"**So was the guy who started it." She hissed, putting her mask on and walks into the warehouse.**

'_Adam.'_ The two Faunus thought. Concern, anger, and worry plaguing their thoughts. What happened between Blake and Adam, what happened between Blake and them? Did they die when the new leader of the White Fang took over? Did Blake run away and Adam found and saved her?

"**Always sunshine and rainbows with you..." The Monkey Faunus mumbled as he follows her lead.**

'_When was the change from peace to violence? What happened years ago?'_ Ghira thought

_**The new recruits to the White Fang are moving in a line to the side of the stage, a mere few dozen compared to the hundreds of white-vested, black-hooded soldiers to their left and up above in the balconies. Blake and Sun look around themselves when they stop, and a fully-masked man with tattoos standing starts speaking before the large sheet emblazoned with the bloody wolf and claw marks.**_

"**Thank you all for coming. For those of you who are joining us for the first time tonight, allow me to introduce a very special comrade of ours! I can assure you, he is the key to obtaining what we have fought for so long!" The White Fang Lieutenant said to the crowd.**

_**The dark pants and brown shoes step forward before the orange tip of the Melodic Cudgel taps on the stage. The camera pans up to reveal none other than Roman, smiling confidently even as the crowd starts protesting.**_

"Torchwick. Faunus wouldn't work with Humans, no matter what." Ghira said, his eyes narrowed.

"They would if they were being threatened, I mean… Torchwick is being manipulated and threatened by Cinder." Kali says softly, worried as thought back to what happened to Tukson.

Ghira snarled, his yellow eyes turning into slits in his rage.

**Roman waved mockingly to the assembled crowd of Faunus. "Thank you, thank you!" As he speaks, Neopolitan walks out from behind the sheet. "Please, hold your applause!"**

"Who is that?" Summer pointed to Neo.

"Torchwick's partner maybe? Or his something." Taiyang shrugged.

**An Antler Faunus was pointing at Roman from her place right in front of Blake and Sun. "What's a human doing here?!"**

"**I'm glad you asked, 'Deerie'! Now, I'll be the first to admit, humans... are the **_**worst**_**." He salutes as an example**_**.**_** "Case in point. So, I understand why you would like to see us all locked away, or, better yet, **_**killed**_**!"**

"He's mocking them." Ghira grit his teeth, his nails clenched so tight in his fists that his Aura flared dark purple around him. Ghira wasn't a violent person, he didn't like it but right now he wanted to break something, preferably Torchwick's face.

"Ghira… Calm down." Kali tried to say. He growled at her. The Cat Faunus jerked back and quickly moved over to Summer's side, not wanting to get hurt by Ghira's rage. She knew that it would be an accident, but still, trying to fight an angry Ghira… well that's bound to be a death wish.

That was when a red and black portal appeared beneath Ghira and he fell through, disappearing. He roared and crashes were heard from the gym that they had in the dimension they were in for the duration of the viewing.

Kali turned to Raven, "Thank you. Give him a bit of time, he needs to let go of his anger before he comes back." The others understood and paused the episode.

They only had to wait an hour before Ghira came back with different cloths on. A white short-sleeve shirt and black pants with black boots. "Thank you for waiting for me. And I'm sorry, Kali. I did not mean to scare you." He whispered to his girlfriend, giving her a small kiss on her lips as a small apology.

"It's alright, I know you were angry, I am too. But we will fix this; we even have Team STRQ's help as well. We will succeed, no matter what." Kali said, optimistic and hopeful.

**Sun leaned over to Blake to whisper in her ear,**_** "**_**So, is he going somewhere with this?"**

"_**But**_**, before the claws come out, I'd like to mention the fact that you and I **_**all**_** have a common enemy: the ones in control, the people pulling the strings, the dirty, rotten humans that run our kingdoms!" Roman said as the crowd changes their tune and starts agreeing with him**_**.**_** "Government, military, even the schools: they're all to blame for your lot in life!" He lets the crowd cheer as the two heroes share a look. "And they're all **_**pests**_** that need to be dealt with! Fortunately, I'm the best exterminator around... No offense to any rodents in the room."**

_**With a snap of the fingers, the curtain falls, and the whole mass of Faunus applaud at the sight of the Atlesian Paladin-290 behind it, the mark of the White Fang painted on its shoulder.**_

"Fuck! How did he get the Paladins?!" Tai yelled.

"This just went from bad to a whole lot worse!" Ghira said, holding tightly to Kali's hand.

"This should be interesting. How will they fight this?" Raven murmured to her brother, who shrugged.

"Don't know, but I don't think Torchwick and that ice-cream themed girl will play fair." Qrow whispered back.

**Sun was in awe looking at the Atlas tech. "Whoa, that's a big robot..."**

**Blake hissed, "How did he get that?"**

"**As some of you may have heard, this right here..." He taps the giant mech, "...is Atlas' newest defense against all the scary things in the world. And thanks to my 'employer', we've managed to snag a few before they, uh, 'hit the shelves'. Now, many of your brothers have already moved down to our new operation in the southeast. If you'd rather stay within the city, that's fine... But if you're truly ready to fight for what you believe in, this is the arsenal I can provide you. Any questions?" He asks, however the White Fang's roaring applause tells him the answer**_**.**_

"That's certainly not good. How did they even get the mechs? And how does Cinder have that much pull?" Kali asks, glancing worriedly at Ghira.

**Blake whispers to Sun, "We should get out of here."**

**The White Fang Lieutenant calls out, "Will all new recruits, please come forward!"**

**The line surges forward with the two having to follow. Sun mutters, "Welp!"**

* * *

_**Back at the Club, Junior puts down his glass as he sits behind the bar separating him from his interrogator.**_

"**I don't know!" Junior said.**

**Yang's eyes narrowed, "How can you not know?"**

"**I haven't talked to him! I haven't even **_**seen**_** him since the night you first came in here." He leans over to point in Yang's face. "He paid up front, I lent him my men, and none of them ever. Came. Back." He grit out.**

**Neptune rushed over to Yang's side to raise a question of his own**_**.**_** "So where did they go?"**

**Junior spoke up after a long pause. "What kind of stupid question is that? They never came back!" The he turned to Yang, "Who is this guy?"**

**The blonde pushed Neptune out of the way with one hand. "Don't worry about him; worry about **_**me**_** if I don't find out what I want!" Yang says angrily.**

"**I already told you everything! Torchwick hired my boys, and I guess he wasn't happy with them, which is **_**something I can relate to!"**_** He shouts this at his own men, who grumble and walk away in response.**

"**Come on, Neptune." She turns from the bar and walks away**_**.**_

**Neptune followed her with his hands in his pockets**_**.**_** "We get everything we need?"**

"**Well, we got everything we **_**can**_**. Hopefully the rest of the team is having better luck."**

"They didn't get much of anything from that." Tai grumbled.

* * *

_**The White Fang is still cheering loudly as the recruits are marched to the stage, with Blake and Sun having no choice but to follow along.**_

"**What are we going to do?!" Sun whispered to Blake.**

"**I'm thinking..."**

**Sun watches Roman lean on the robot smoking his cigar and laughing with the girl beside him before he zeroes in on the two, frowning**_**.**_** "He sees us..." He tries to smile and wave**_**.**_

**Blake notices the junction box on the wall**_**.**_** "He can't see in the dark."**

"He's Human, not a Faunus so that works in their favor." Summer says.

_**With that, Blake unsheathes Gambol Shroud, transforms it into a pistol, and shoots at the box, making the lights go out for the whole building and turning the screen dark.**_

"**Don't let them get away!" Roman shouts.**

"**Sun! The window!" Blake rushes to the window with Sun.**

"**Stop them!" The crime boss yells.**

_**Before the two student Huntsmen crash through the window and start running as fast as they can, the mechanized sound of running power signals the Altesian Paladin's activation, and it crashes through the wall of the building in pursuit of the runaways, who leap off of a car and manage to get on the roofs. The Paladin follows beside them on the street as Blake and Sun run, jump, and flip from rooftop to rooftop.**_

"Shit!" Tai and Ghira yell. Kali gasps in shock and fear for her daughter and the other Faunus.

"How are they going to fight that?!" Kali screams.

"Wait and see." Raven says with indifference in her voice. She had a feeling that this won't go as planned, for either Torchwick or Team RWBY.

**Sun twirls in the air. "So you wouldn't happen to have... oh, I don't know... some form of backup?!"**

"**On it!" She grabs her Scroll and puts it to her ear as she continues to jump**_**.**_

* * *

_**Weiss Schnee is seen leaving the Cross Continental Transmit tower's elevator when she grabs her own Scroll and listens to Blake's message.**_

**Blake on the Scroll-call, "**_**Everyone! If you can hear me, we need back-"**_

**Sun screams in the background, "**_**HEEEELLLLP!"**_

_**Weiss rolls her eyes and starts running out the door, a little smile on her face as she does so.**_

* * *

_**Ruby is still beside the dumpster, which is boarded up, possibly to keep the rat imprisoned, staring at her Scroll.**_

**Sun screamed into the Scroll-call, "Big robot! And it's big! Really big!"**

"**Oh, I am **_**not**_** missing this!" Ruby squeals excitedly and runs off to join the fight**_**.**_

Raven and Qrow send a glance towards Summer.

* * *

_**Yang is back on the motorcycle in her helmet and sunglasses with Neptune looking at the Scroll in her hand over her shoulder.**_

"_**That Torchwick guy is in it! But not, like, it didn't eat him; he's, like, controlling it or something!" **_**Sun says on the Scroll-call.**

"**Where are you guys?" Yang asks as they drive.**

_**Right on cue, behind them, Blake and Sun can be seen running through the street with the Paladin hot on their heels before they all disappear from view.**_

"**HURRYYYY!" Sun screams in fear.**

"**I think that was them." Neptune deadpanned as he stared at where his partner and team leader disappeared to.**

"**Yeah, I got it." Yang rolled her eyes, putting the Scroll away; she quickly circles her ride around - much to Neptune's alarm - and drives off to follow them**_**.**_

"What the hell do they think they're going to do? Have it chase them on the highway? That'll cause so many casualties!" Tai exclaimed.

* * *

_**Blake and Sun somehow make it to the highways, jumping down into the busy street and continuing their escape by hopping on cars while the Paladin follows them by pushing vehicles out of the way. Sun pauses to look at their pursuer's path of destruction and offer a quick "Whoa!" before leaping onto more cars, much to the anger of Roman inside the robot, his face surrounded by blue holographic screens.**_

"They're going to get people killed!" Summer shouted.

"These kids are in over their heads!" Raven snarled.

_**Yang and Neptune are able to follow the mech suit on their ride, coming up next to it as it runs.**_

"**We've gotta slow it down!" Yang yells to Neptune.**

"**Got it!"**

_**Neptune reaches for his gun, but Roman notices the pair on his sensors and crashes into a multitude of cars with the Paladin's strong bulk, sending them flying towards his chasers.**_

Fuck!" Qrow says as he watches his niece.

"**Hold on!" The blonde exclaims.**

_**Yang swerves, leaning her bike to the side in avoidance of flying debris while Neptune flails in a panic. Back on two wheels again, Neptune unslings his weapon, aims as sparks start flying, and fires several bolts of blue electricity at the Paladin, causing Roman to grimace from the force of the attacks.**_

_**Switching strategies, Neptune flips the gun and it grows a shaft and an energy blade at the end, then jumps from Yang's bike as the spear's head splits in three and drives it into the top of the Paladin. Sun and Blake pause in their car-hopping to look back.**_

"**Neptune, hang on!" The Monkey Faunus shouts over to his partner.**

_**Neptune is trying his best, but the mech keeps bucking and threatens to make him fall. Closing his eyes, Sun smashes his palms together, and from the golden Aura around him, his Semblance creates two glowing outlines that copy their creator, leaping off and going back over the tops of vehicles to collide into the Paladin's front. They explode into blinding light upon contact to let Sun leap forward with Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang held high, but Roman finally turns enough to send Neptune flying off and knocking into his leader, sending both of them off the highway.**_

"So how many people did they just kill with that stunt?" Qrow asks the others with morbid curiosity.

"I… I don't even want to think about that." Summer whispers in horror.

"That's a useful Semblance." Raven comments.

_**As Blake looks on from her spot, she hears a voice from her Scroll:**_

"_**Blake! I'm in position!" **_**Weiss informs her Faunus teammate.**

_**Weiss is seen twirling over a highway and landing in the middle of the road, holding Myrtenaster at the approaching Roman. He smiles as his robot charges the girl, but Weiss spins and plunges her blade into the ground, summoning a circle of ice across the pavement that causes the Paladin to slip and crash, actually flying over the young Huntress and falling off the ramp, landing further down before Ruby, already having her Crescent Rose out in scythe form.**_

'_This is insane!'_ Kali mentally screams in her head.

"City property damage, casualties… what else will they rake up in their first year?" Raven mutters.

"Do you _want_ Summer and Tai to kill us?" Qrow hisses at his sister. "You shouldn't be approving this."

"I'm not… partially." Raven smirks. "But it sure is fun to watch the girls' cause havoc."

"You're enjoying this way too much." Qrow mumbles with a shake of his head.

_**The Paladin stands back up, and the rest of Team RWBY falls beside their leader to take up positions. Roman chuckles, moving the robot slowly towards the girls.**_

**Ruby commands, "**_**Freezer Burn!"**_

_**Ruby and Blake jump back out of the way as Weiss performs her same ice-circle trick, but backs out of Yang's way when she jumps into the air and hits the epicenter with her Ember Celica, creating a wave of mist that surrounds Roman. Immediately, the Paladin activates its laser sensors to make up for the lost sight, but it barely sees the afterimage of Blake and narrowly misses the dashing Yang. A gun manages to fire at the area between Blake and Yang, but out from the blast comes Ruby, who slashes the metal with her blade, causing it to falter.**_

"_**Checkmate!" The small leader commanded.**_

_**Blake and Weiss go in this time, each girl going for the feet until Weiss jumps up and stabs a sensor before leaping off of a white glyph. Roman lifts the Paladin's foot to crush Blake, but Weiss summons another glyph under her teammate to launch her backwards before the crushing blow can land. Roman growls and fires off the missiles, but Weiss and Blake flip backwards as the explosions merely hit where they were.**_

_**Finally, Weiss jumps up too high, and Roman fires a double energy blast at her. Myrtenaster absorbs the damage, but Weiss is thrown back, so she casts a beam of light from her weapon to the ground under Blake, forming a yellow clockwork circle that's absorbed into the Faunus girl and lets her slice through each launched missile with ease in a flurry of super-fast slashes.**_

**Ruby ran into the fray, "**_**Ladybug!"**_

"They are surprisingly good at team combination attacks. That will be useful in the field when they graduate." Summer notes.

"And they have multiple attacks and combinations. Impressive." Raven muses.

_**Ruby shoots herself forward and cuts at the robot's legs, then turns as Blake aims herself at the giant's feet as well. They both dash forward and attack at the same time, circling each other around the Paladin with each strike until they both launch themselves into the air and come down together on the shoulder, cutting off the left arm entirely.**_

_**Yang doesn't waste a second, jumping onto the Paladin's back and punching the top with fiery shotgun blasts. Roman is knocked around in the cabin, but seeing as he can't reach her with his remaining mechanical arm, he runs backwards through two columns and leaves her embedded in a third before backing away and turning towards her. Just as she is falling down, the remaining arm extends a closed fist, and when it punches her, she flies through the column and doesn't get up.**_

"_**Yang!" Blake screams out for her partner.**_

"Her Semblance?" Ghira questioned, looking at Tai and Raven.

"Most definitely." Raven grins darkly, wanting to see the destruction that Yang could cause.

"You are enjoying this way too much." Tai mutters, a bit creeped out by Raven.

"**Don't worry! With each hit she gets stronger, and she uses that energy to fight back! That's what makes her special." Ruby tells her teammate, smiling towards her sister.**

_**Yang slowly gets back on her feet, hair burning a brilliant white as she clenches her fists. Sensing victory, Roman throws a punch, but Yang catches it in her own hand despite the ground cracking beneath her and, eyes red with rage, smashes her knuckles into the second arm, obliterating it under her force.**_

_**Getting desperate with his armless robot, Roman immediately kicks Yang to the side, but as she passes her sister and teammates...**_

Raven cackles with glee, Qrow has a giant grin on his face, Summer and Tai stare in horror at the twins, Ghira and Kali looked disturbed.

"_**Bumblebee!" Ruby shouted.**_

_**Blake throws her Gambol Shroud out for Yang to catch while flying, and the Faunus uses the momentum to swing the glowing girl around for a final hit to the robot. Roman, however, steps out of the way just in time to avoid complete destruction.**_

"**We have to slow it down!" Ruby said.**

"**And **_**how**_** do you propose we do that?" Weiss questioned sarcastically.**

"_**Ice Flower!"**_

_**Twirling their weapons so they both point at Roman, Weiss creates a series of glyphs in front of the scythe's sniper barrel, and a single shot through the circles creates a dazzling spiral of energy that creates large icicles upon impact with the Paladin. Ruby continues to shoot as Weiss freezes the fire, and as the ice completely envelops the robot's body, Blake swings her partner around in a circle one more time, but with Roman unable to move, the Paladin is hit by the speed and power of Yang's fists, flying into the air before crashing down in a hundred pieces and a defeated criminal.**_

**Roman got up, slightly dazed but unharmed, as he inspects the damage while brushing himself off "**_**Just**_** got this thing cleaned..." He muttered angrily.**

_**He looks up just in time to see Yang, still burning with her absorbed power, fire a single shot at the defenseless thief, but he's saved at the last instant when the two-toned girl seen before drops in front of him and merely opens Hush, deflecting the blast entirely. The new arrival hangs the weapon over her shoulder as Roman addresses the victors.**_

"That girl! She has to be his partner." Kali says.

**Torchwick smiles, "Ladies, Ice Queen..."**

**Weiss interrupts him, "Hey!"**

"**Always a pleasure! Neo, if you would..." The man prompts the girl.**

_**The pink-and-brown girl curtsies her enemies with a bow, but Yang will have none of it, charging forth with fists raised to strike the outlaws... only to break their image as if made out of a mirror and turn just in time to see them escape in a Bullhead. The rest of team RWBY runs up to Yang's side, now cooled down with the end of the fight.**_

"Powerful Semblance. Useful in espionage and spying. I wonder what the limits of it are." Raven questions.

"You wouldn't know who was the real person if it's like a shape-shifting Semblance." Qrow comments.

"**So I guess he got a new henchman..." Yang mutters.**

"**Yeah, I guess she really made our plans... **_**fall apart**_**!" Weiss tries and fails to make a pun.**

"Really Tai? No! You are not teaching our daughters your horrible puns! I will not let anyone be subjected to that horror!" Summer says, getting an approving nod from Raven.

"I'd rather not have Yang grow up to be like you." Raven tells her…. Soon-to-be? Husband.

"What's wrong with how I am?" Tai cries.

Summer, Raven, and Qrow all give the blonde a deadpan stare. Taiyang pouts.

"Shall we continue? I think we are almost at the end of this episode." Ghira says, trying to get back to the viewing at hand.

**While Weiss smiles, Ruby giggles, and Blake starts walking away, Yang simply states, "No. Just... no."**

**Weiss got mad, "What- But, you do it!"**

"**There's a time and a place for jokes." Yang tells her.**

"**Was this not it?"**

"**No, it just wasn't very good." Yang said, shrugging and follows Blake**_**.**_

**Weiss walked along with her teammates**_**.**_** "Well, at least I'm trying!"**

**Ruby looked around, "Wait... Where are Sun and Neptune?"**

"Wiat… where _did_ they go?" Summer asks, looking at the others, thinking that they had the answer for her.

No one answered. "We are almost done, just keep watching it'll be explained." Qrow said.

* * *

_**Sun and Neptune are sitting in the middle stools of the 'A Simple Wok Noodle House' eating their plates of noodles with the Shopkeep behind the counter and their weapons leaning on the other two stools.**_

"They… They just left the battle to get noodles?!" Summer exclaimed in shock.

"Apparently." Kali muttered, shaking her head at her daughter's friends. They weren't bad people per say, it's just… they weren't the… most… responsible, it appeared.

"**They're probably fine, right?" Neptune asks, while glancing at his team leader.**

"**Probably."**

_**With his question answered, Neptune turns back to his noodles, and the two eat in silence**_**.**


	26. V2C5: Extracurricular

**Extracurricular**

They started right after they were done watching the last episode.

_**The scene opens to Pyrrha gearing up in a locker room. As she walks out of the locker room, we cut to her sparring with Cardin Winchester and back again. Eventually, the fight scene includes the other members of Team CRDL.**_

"Our kids won't get arrested at least." Tai said. Summer and Kali smacked him.

"You're an idiot; they already have a body count, even if it wasn't shown." Raven said, eyeing Tai with a glare.

"Let's just watch Pyrrha wipe the floor with Cardin and his team." Ghira said, diffusing the situation almost immediately. Team STRQ and the Belladonna's both watched the spar between Pyrrha and Team CRDL.

_**While she is still exiting toward the arena, the scene cuts to her spar with Team CRDL.**_

**Pyrrha strikes Cardin who tries to counter only to hit her shield before getting driven back. He falls to one knee then rolls to dodge as she comes down from above. Eventually, Pyrrha launches her spear at Dove Bronzewing and then knocks him down. Next she fires a shot at Sky Lark then blocks Feather's Edge with her shield. Switching from sword to spear and driving him back, firing another shot before knocking Sky to the ground. She attacks Cardin again who unleashes a short column of fire from the red Dust crystal in The Executioner by smashing the floor. She dodges the blast then blocks Cardin's swing before he and Sky attempt to double-team Pyrrha. Only for her to avoid them both before vaulting over Cardin.**

"Well, she isn't a prodigy for nothing." Qrow muttered as he watched the fight and analyzing it the same way he knew Raven was surely doing the same thing he was.

They both knew how to pick apart a person or group's fighting styles just by seeing it once, then they knew how to counter it and dismantle their opponents from the inside out.

**Pyrrha throws her shield, which hits Cardin in the face and bounces back to hit Sky as well. She then flips backwards through the air to catch it then land on Sky, incapacitating him. Dove and Russel Thrush rush her together, but she is able to drive them back. Kicking Dove away who manages to recover, landing on his feet as Cardin leaps in to smash at her with his mace.**

**Pyrrha dodges and opens fire with the rifle-form of Miló, but Russel defends Cardin, deflecting every shot with Shortwings. He and Dove charge at Pyrrha, with Russel leaping into the air and performing a triple somersault. However, the double-kick attack is easily blocked with her shield. Russel and Dove proceed to strike at Pyrrha together, demonstrating precision through their ability to avoid hitting one another during the attack. She falls back still managing to parry every blow, as Cardin attempts to capitalize on the distraction. Pyrrha opens fire again but this time Cardin deflects the bullets with his own weapon. He charges at her only to be met with a knee to the chin, the two clash with Cardin receiving several hits. Russel ducks in under Cardin for a surprise attack, but also proves himself unable to wear her down.**

**Pyrrha dodges every slash then hits him with her shield, Dove moves in after Russel is knocked to the ground. After a couple of deflected swipes, he fires on her with Hallshott, but she is able to bull right through using her shield. Although he is able to avoid her attack, Dove finds himself knocked out of the fight by an errant swing from Cardin, who moves in for another assault. Pyrrha knocks Cardin into the air and then leaps after him. Cardin blocks a few hits but she quickly maneuvers herself to slam him into the ground.**

**Glynda approaches from behind Cardin who clutches his ribs. "And that's the match."**

Qrow and Raven both have feral grins on their faces. "You lose." The younger twin said.

"This wasn't just a bad match up; it was set up for Pyrrha to win, more than that Goodwitch _knew_ she would win. She's a prodigy but not only that, this was easy, too easy for her because its leading to something, another fight, this own will be the real deal, the one that will push Pyrrha." Raven told them.

Seeing as the elder Branwen twin had no reason to lie, the other four adults believe her.

"**Lucky shot." Cardin glared at the redhead as he collapses**_**.**_

"**Well done, Miss Nikos. You should have no problem qualifying for the tournament." Goodwitch praises.**

**Pyrrha nodded, "Thank you, professor."**

"Shit, I forgot about that. The Vytal Festival will be starting soon." Tai muttered.

**Glynda tapped her Scroll**_**.**_** "Alright, now I know that's a tough act to follow, but we have time for one more sparring match." Glynda looks around at the observing students**_**.**_** "Any volunteers? Ms. Belladonna?" Blake slams her book shut and stares wide-eyed at Glynda**_**.**_** "You've been rather docile for the past few classes. Why don't you –"**

**Mercury raises his hand**_**. "**_**I'll do it."**

All six narrowed their eyes.

"_Assassin."_ Qrow hissed, his lips pulled back into a snarl.

"I told you. Though, Mercury won't be fighting to win, he will be fighting to study Pyrrha and analyze how she fights to bring her down on in an even greater and spectacular fashion." Raven said, her arms crossed over her chest, eyes still narrowed and watching everything the grey haired boy would do.

"_**Mercury**_**, is it? Very well, let's find you an opponent." Glynda said, scanning the list of students.**

"**Actually, **_**I wanna fight**_**... her." Mercury points to Pyrrha.**

"This is not good." Summer said, her eyes never leaving Pyrrha and Mercury on the screen.

**Pyrrha startled and looked to the other 'student.' "**_**Me?"**_

**Glynda frowned, "I'm afraid Miss Nikos has just finished the match. I recommend you choose another partner."**

**Pyrrha waved the woman off, "No, it's fine! I'd be happy to oblige." She said with a small smile.**

Team STRQ glanced warily at each other, knowing nothing good will come of this fight.

* * *

_**Mercury struts into the arena, visibly sizing up Pyrrha. Their spar begins when he makes the first attack and is knocked down. Recovering quickly, he deflects an attack and begins trading blows with Pyrrha until she knocks him back with her shield.**_

_**Ruby Rose turns toward Emerald sitting behind her.**_

"_**Hey**_**, your friend's doing pretty **_**good." **_**Ruby told the green haired girl. **

_**Emerald gives a fake smile and then rolls her eyes as Ruby turns her back.**_

"Get the fuck away from my daughter." Tai snarled, his fists clenching in fear.

None of them wanted Mercury, Emerald or Cinder anywhere near their children. Especially after what happened to Tuckson. Raven and Qrow watched Mercury, if they knew how he fought, they couldn't pick up apart. The twins figured that Summer, Tai, Kali, and Ghira wouldn't object for the twins to… pay the three a visit.

_**Mercury unleashes a series of powerful strikes. Pyrrha allows his kick to slam against her forearm before Mercury manages to disarm, a kick impaling her blade into the ground. Pyrrha uses her Semblance to redirect the direction of Mercury's next kick. As she charges him with her shield, he shoots off of it and turns his back to her. Pyrrha tries to rush him again.**_

"**I forfeit."**

**Pyrrha almost stumbles as she stops beside him. "You... don't even want to try?" She asked.**

"**What's the point? You're a world-renowned fighter. We're obviously leagues apart." He told the redhead, shrugging.**

**Glynda's eyes are narrowed in suspicion as she walks towards them. "In that case... Pyrrha Nikos is the victor of the match... again."**

_**Emerald smirks. Mercury sneers smugly. Pyrrha has an annoyed and disappointed look on her face, and places her left hand on her hip. The Aura display for Pyrrha and Mercury are shown as Mercury's is changed from green to red indicating his loss.**_

"Want us to pay them a visit when we come back?" Qrow asks his teammates and the two Faunus.

The four others look at him. "Pay them a visit?" Kali repeats.

A dark smile appears on Raven's face. "Pay them a _visit_." Summer, Taiyang, and Ghira paled as the implications of what Raven and Qrow were saying dawned on them.

"Why would you do that?" Ghira asks, nervous of their answer.

The Branwen's tilted their heads in unison and had creepy grins on their lips. "Oh?"

"So you _don't_ want revenge for your friend?" Raven asks, slowly standing up to her full height to stare down at the large Faunus.

Ghira gulps, but doesn't break eyes contact with the woman.

"I want that pleasure." He finally says. Kali gasps in horror.

"Ghira! Think about what you're saying!" Kali screams at him.

"If things will be as bad as Raven and Qrow are saying… then something needs to be done." Ghira tells her, almost hissing. "We cannot be complacent anymore, Kali. That is how the White Fang is in the current situation in the future. We… _I_ need to take an active role to stop all of this. _We all do_. That is why we were brought here, to learn of the future and to stop something horrible from happening."

Kali flinched remembering the note that had said they were brought to this dimension to stop a tragedy from befalling the future. Whatever that tragedy was… they still didn't know what they were supposed to stop.

"**Next time, you may want to think a little harder before choosing an opponent." Goodwitch told the boy.**

**Mercury nodded, "I'll be sure to do that."**

_**An alarm sounds which jolts Blake who has nodded off.**_

'_Blake's isolating herself, trying to go at this alone… that won't work. It will backfire on her and get her hurt… or worse, killed.' _Kali thought morbidly. She didn't want anything to happen to her daughter, but she knew that whatever was going on with Torchwick and Adam would no doubt come to a head sooner rather than later for Blake.

Ghira was right; they all were brought here to stop a tragedy. But what could she do? What could she change? Ghira had the White Fang, and Team STRQ had their own families to think about.

"**That is all for today. And remember, the dance is this weekend. But you all have your first mission on Monday. I will not accept any excuses." The blond professor says as she dismisses her class.**

_**As everyone leaves, Mercury stops beside Emerald.**_** "Learning is so much **_**fun." **_**He says sarcastically.**

* * *

**Outside, Team SSSN are standing at the entrance as Team RWBY walks past. Sun notices Blake and runs after her**_**. "**_**Hey, Blake!" Sun grabs Blake by her shoulder**_**.**_** "You uh, doing okay?"**

**Blake shuts the book she is reading**_**.**_** "I'm fine." She says simply.**

"**So I hear there's this dance going on this weekend... ah, sounds pretty lame, but you and me, I'm thinking, not **_**as**_** lame, huh?" Sun asks her, hopeful.**

"**What?"**

"**The dance! This weekend! You wanna go, or what?" He asks, wanting to go with the girl he likes.**

Kali grins, the dance will be a good way for Blake to get out of her head. Maybe that is what she could help with, Blake and Sun. Maybe not set them up, but at least get them to be good friends, comrades in arms, seeing as they are both trying to be Huntsmen.

**Blake frowns, "I don't have time for a **_**stupid**_** dance. I thought **_**you**_** of all people would get that."**

_**Blake walks away past her team. Sun sinks from his rejection.**_

**Blake demands off-screen, "You **_**what?"**_

Kali's grin falls, but she is suddenly hopeful that her team might be able to help her. If not… Kali isn't sure Blake would ever be able to break the cycle she's fallen in. Always chasing her enemy without break or rest will be the Cat Faunus' undoing and Kali fears that one day it will be too late to stop Blake from making a fatal mistake.

* * *

_**The scene shifts to team RWBY in their dorm room. Blake is sitting with her arms crossed.**_

"**We want you to go to the dance." The small leader said bluntly.**

"**That's ridiculous." The Cat Faunus scoffs.**

"**Blake, we're worried about you. This investigation is starting to mess with your head." Yang said, concerned for her partner.**

"That will end up hurting her more than helping her. If she's too exhausted it could be a disaster when they are on a mission, she could get someone killed in her condition." Summer said, knowing from experience as she glanced pointedly at Taiyang.

**Weiss started counting the facts on her fingers. "You **_**can't**_** sleep, you **_**hardly**_** eat, and to be honest, your **_**grades**_** have been suffering."**

"**You think I care about **_**grades?**_**" She shrugs and then gestures out the window**_**.**_** "People's **_**lives**_** are at stake!" Blake shouts.**

**Yang puts her hand on Blake's, lowering her partner's hand**_**.**_** "We **_**know**_**, and we're all still trying to figure out what Torchwick is up to."**

"**Thanks to you and Sun, we know they're operating somewhere outside of southeast Vale." Ruby pointed out.**

"_**And**_**, the Schnee company records singled out Vale as the primary **_**target**_** for Dust robberies over the last few months." Weiss commented, trying to point out the positives.**

"**Don't forget about their missing military tech too." Yang said, contributing to the positives of their investigation.**

"**But there are still unanswered questions!"**

"Their points are valid, both sides, actually. There's a lot we still don't know." Ghira comments.

"If Blake exhausts herself to the point of passing out, that's not good. At all." Summer counters.

"She has a right to know-" Ghira was cut off by Tai of all people.

"Yes she does. I'm not saying that she doesn't have a right to know, but they are just teenagers. They aren't Huntsmen. Not yet, they are just first years, if they're not careful they are going to have a big target on them. And it will be that much harder to protect them." Taiyang tells the other man.

"**Blake, you won't be able to find anything if you can't even keep your eyes open!" Ruby tries to reason with her teammate.**

"**All we're asking is that you take it easy for **_**one day." **_**Yang tells her.**

"**It will be fun! Yang and I will make sure of it." The Schnee girl says with a smile looking at Yang for reassurance.**

"**Yeah! We're planning the whole event!" The blonde says with a blinding smile on her face.**

_**Yang pumps her fists which causes the bed to bounce Blake.**_

"_**Excuse**_** me?" Blake blinks.**

"**Team CFVY's away mission lasted longer than expected." Weiss explained.**

"**So, Weiss and I were asked to pick up where they left off. And now we can make sure you have the perfect night." Yang said with a smile.**

**Weiss nods, "And once it's all over, we'll return for our search, rested and ready."**

"**So what do ya think?" Ruby grinned at Blake.**

"**I think this is a colossal waste of time." Blake scoffed. Blake walks away from the group and opens the dorm door. "I'll be in the library." The Cat Faunus said as she walks out of the room.**

"**Great." Yang said flatly.**

**Weiss shakes her head in sadness. "She can't keep going on like this."**

_**There's a knock at the door and Weiss approaches and opens it. Jaune appears at the door with a guitar.**_

"You've got to be kidding me." Raven muttered.

"That idiot. Can't he see he has Pyrrha?" Tai said, annoyed at Jaune's attempts to try and get with Weiss even though Pyrrha was waiting for him.

"He's clueless to Pyrrha's affection though, so until she clearly spells it out for him, he won't look at her as more than a friend." Kali said.

**Jaune started singing. "**_**Weiss!"**_

_**Weiss slams the door in his face.**_

"**Oh, come on, open the door! I promise not to sing." Jaune says from behind the closed door.**

_**Weiss opens the door.**_

**He began singing again. "I **_**lied!**_** Weiss Schu-**_**nee**_**, will you accompany **_**me**_**, to the dance **_**on**_**... **_**Sunday!?"**_

"**Are you done?"**

**He shrugged, "Yes?"**

"**No." She shuts the door in his face. Turning around, she sees the others staring at her**_**.**_** "What?"**

"Look in front of you and you will see a girl who loves you for who you are!" Summer said passionately, trying to get Jaune to listen to her even though she knew he couldn't hear her.

"When we get back, we are going to help Pyrrha and Jaune get together, because I do not want to have to watch Jaune's horrible attempts on Weiss when he could and would have Pyrrha if he just opens his eyes!" Taiyang said bluntly.

"Agreed." Kali said with her hand up.

"You are aware that they aren't even born yet, right?" Raven asked the three.

"So what? We can still help them. Isn't that what we're going to do with our own kids?" Tai asked Raven. The female twin just shook her head and continued watching, ignoring Tai, Summer, and Kali talking about Pyrrha and Jaune's love lives.

_**Both girls are standing precariously.**_

"**And that is why they call you the Ice Queen." Yang deadpanned.**

_**Ruby finally collapses.**_

"**All my life, boys have only cared about the perks of my last name. Besides, I already have a date in mind." Weiss said angrily.**

"Well, I can see how that could be annoying." Kali said.

"That's true. More than that, I have no doubt that Jacques would sell his own daughter into a loveless marriage if it suited his needs." Ghira commented, anger clear in his voice at the thought.

**Ruby frowns, "Date or no date, none of this will matter if we can't get Blake to go."**

* * *

_**That night, Pyrrha and Jaune are sparring at their spot on the roof. Jaune appears to gain the upper hand until Pyrrha sweeps his legs out from under him.**_

"**Well done! Your swordplay's improved immensely." Pyrrha helps Jaune to his feet.**

"**I couldn't have done it without you." Jaune told her, smiling.**

"**So, are you ready to move on to Aura?" Pyrrha asked.**

"_**I'm**_** actually thinking maybe we just skip Aura for tonight? Might go on a jog or something." The blond shrugged.**

"**Come **_**on**_**, I know you get frustrated, but you **_**must**_** keep trying. I'm sure you'll discover your Semblance any day now." The redhead said encouragingly.**

"**That's not it. It's just..." he hesitated, "It's dumb."**

"**What is it?" She approaches Jaune and places her hand on his shoulder**_**.**_** "**_**Jaune**_**, you know you can tell me."**

"**It's... Weiss."**

**Pyrrha's face falls slightly. "**_**Oh.**_** What about her?"**

"**I asked her to the dance and she shot me down." He giggled halfheartedly. "Big surprise, right?"**

"**Well, I believe the saying goes: There's... plenty of fish in the sea."**

"**That's easy for you to say. You've probably got guys clamoring over each other just to ask you out." Jaune said, waving his hand around.**

**Pyrrha chuckles halfheartedly. "You'd be surprised."**

**Jaune dismisses the thought. "Oh **_**please.**_** If you don't get a date to the dance, I'll wear a dress. Heh."**

"I actually want to see that." Qrow suddenly said.

"That would be hilarious!" Tai laughed at the thought of the other blond in a dress for Pyrrha. Maybe this way he would see that Pyrrha liked him.

_**He walks away. Pyrrha drops her smile and looks rather upset.**_

* * *

_**The scene shifts to Cinder in her dorm room, sewing a black dress as she sits on one of the beds. Emerald is sitting on the floor while looking at her Scroll, and Mercury is lying on the ground and reading a comic book.**_

The six tense, waiting for one of them to speak.

"**And finally, Pyrrha Nikos." The green haired girl said.**

"**Ah, the invincible girl." Cinder smirked.**

"**She's smart, but I wouldn't say invincible." Mercury cut in.**

**Cinder's smirk turned predatory. "**_**Do tell."**_

"**Her Semblance is Polarity. But you'd never know just by watching." Emerald told the magic-wielder.**

"**After she made contact with my boots, she was able to move them around however she wanted. But she only made slight adjustments." Mercury pointed out.**

**Emerald nods and expands on what Mercury had just said. "Just enough to make it look like she's untouchable. She doesn't broadcast her power, so it puts her opponent at a disadvantage."**

"**Hmm... People assume that she's fated for victory, when she's really taking fate into her own hands. Interesting. Add her to the list." Cinder waves her hand.**

The twins and Summer glace at each other. All three thinking about the odd and creepy conversation that Ozpin had with that mystery lady in the first episode after the trailers.

'_That woman… whoever she is…'_

'_She's dangerous.' _All three of them thought together.

"_**You**_** should be able to take her no problem." Mercury emphasized.**

**Cinder frowned, looking like she was about to scold the grey haired boy. "It's not about overpowering the enemy. It's about taking away what power they have. And we will, in time."**

"**I hate waiting." Mercury complained petulantly.**

"**Don't worry, Mercury. We have a fun weekend ahead of us."**

They all looked warily at each other. "That woman… both Cinder and the one that Ozpin was seemingly talking to, they are dangerous." Kali said, shivering.

"What do we do?" Tai asks, looking around.

"Watch, change the future, and fight if necessary." Raven paused, "And that's looking more and more likely." She said the last part to herself mostly, her eyes glancing around looking like she was about to bolt. Qrow placed his hand over hers trying to comfort her, even if she hated being pitied and cared for.


	27. V2C6: Burning the Candle

**The rest of the volume will take a little more time to update since I need to focus on my exams and university. Life has gotten very hectic because of the virus and I need to figure out my plans and what I need for university. So please bear with me while I need to focus on university. Thank you for your understanding!**

* * *

Team STRQ wanted to keep watching and the two Faunus had no problems with that. "What do you think will happen with Pyrrha and those three?" Kali asked.

"I have no idea, but… I'm nervous." Summer said, taking Qrow and Tai's hands in her own.

"Whatever happens we will stop it. That's the entire reason to why we are here in the first place." Ghira told the two women.

"Okay then, let's keep watching." Tai had the remote in his hand and pressed PLAY.

**Burning the Candle**

**The view of a glum Ruby resting her head on her hand and staring into the distance before she is startled by someone slamming their palms on the table she is at. She looked up and saw that it was Weiss.**

**Weiss smiled at her. "I need **_**you**_** to pick a tablecloth." She slides two squares over to Ruby, both seeming to be similar shades of white.**

**Ruby looked at her partner with a confused look. "Aren't they both the same?"**

"Aren't those the same color?" Tai asked, and then blinked because he had just heard Ruby's response.

"You two really are father and daughter." Ghira said, chuckling. Tai's cheeks went pink and he ducked his head, chuckling breathlessly.

**Weiss sighs in frustration, "I don't even know why I asked!"**

**Weiss walks out of the scene as Yang comes in carrying a massive sound speaker on her shoulder, which bounces her sister and the table she's moping on again to jump in the air when she drops it on the ground.**

**Yang brushes her hands as she approaches Ruby. "So, have you picked out a dress yet?"**

"**What's the point? Who cares about the dance if Blake isn't going?"**

"She really cares about Blake." Kali said, looking at Summer and Taiyang gratefully.

"Blake is Ruby's teammate. Of course she's going to care and worry about her." Summer said like it was obvious. Which, thinking back on it, it really was that simple.

Kali and Ghira nod, both happy and grateful that their daughter has two good friends in Ruby and Yang.

"**Oh, don't worry; she's going." Yang says confidently and then looks over off-screen, exasperated, "Weiss! I thought we agreed: No doilies!"**

"Yang knows something that we don't." Qrow says bluntly, looking at Raven when he says that.

"What do you want from me? I don't know what she knows!" Raven says angrily, trying to get her suspicious brother to back off. Both knew that something bad happened between Team STRQ, and whatever it was, it was connected to Raven's disappearance and Summer's death.

**Weiss walks up to Yang, pointing in her face, "If **_**I**_** don't get doilies, **_**you**_** don't get fog machines!"**

**The girls are interrupted by the sound of doors opening. Neptune walked in with Sun. "Your dance is gonna have fog machines?" The blue haired boy ****asked them.**

**Weiss stepped up to him, becoming sweet. "We were thinking about it..."**

Raven and Qrow share a look of disgust as Qrow also gags. "Yeah, hell no." Qrow muttered.

"I agree, a nice Schnee is just so wrong." Raven whispered to her brother.

"**That's pretty cool." Neptune commented.**

**Sun came into the scene, acting suave to Weiss' ire. "You ladies all excited for dress-up?"**

Team STRQ laughed at Weiss and Sun's antics.

"**Pfft... Yeah, right!" Ruby waved her hand.**

"**Laugh all you want. **_**I'll**_** be turning heads tomorrow night!" Yang said, winking at Sun and Neptune.**

Summer, Qrow, Raven, Ghira and Kali all turn their heads to stare at Tai, whose face is beet red.

**Weiss ignored Yang and addressed Sun and Neptune. "What are you two wearing?"**

"**Uuhhh... **_**this**_**?" Sun gestures to his current shirtless outfit.**

"That idiot." Tai and Summer shook their heads in exasperation at the Monkey Faunus.

"Why did Blake pick him again?" Ghira whispered, leaning over to his girlfriend.

Kali giggles and smiles, "Let her have this. I quite like seeing Blake and Sun together."

Ghira growls. "Well I don't."

"You're already getting overprotective of her, aren't ya." Tai said, chuckling. "Trust me, I feel the same."

**Neptune steps up and holds a hand in front of his friend's face**_**.**_** "Ignore him for he knows not what he says."**

**Sun knocks Neptune's hand away, "Hey, I may have moved to Mistral, but I grew up in Vacuo. It's not exactly a shirt-and-tie kind of place."**

**Yang mirrored Ruby's and Weiss' looks of being told something extremely obvious "Yeah, we noticed."**

"That's true. Vacuo is a dessert, you have to wear light fabrics that aren't constricting or you'll overheat quickly, even with Aura." Tai told his team and the two Faunus.

**Sun rubbed the back of his head, preparing to ask**_**:**_** "Soooo... what does Blake think of all this? She still being all, y'know... Blake-y?"**

Ghira growled at Sun, even though the teen couldn't hear him. "Calm down." Kali said, swatting his arm.

"**Obviously." Weiss turns and crosses her arms in disapproval.**

"**I still can't think of a way to change her mind." Ruby pouted.**

"**Guys." Everyone looks at Yang as she starts walking out. "Trust me; Blake **_**will**_** be at the dance tomorrow."**

"Wonder how she'll do that." Summer asked, looking to Tai.

"I don't know!"

* * *

**The Faunus herself is sitting at one of the library tables with a holographic screen in front of her. She is obviously more sleep-deprived than ever, barely focusing on what she's seeing... until a small, bright red light appears on the screen. Moving up and down, Blake's eyes follow it down to her hand, then disappears entirely. She looks behind herself, obviously irritated, but no one walking among the tables is her culprit.**

Both Faunus frown a deadpan stare at Taiyang and Raven. "Really? She may be a Cat Faunus, but seriously?" Kali asked them.

Neither of them said anything.

**Turning back to the computer, she starts typing on the beeping keyboard before the laser dot appears on her hand briefly, prompting her to look around again and still find no one. The red point shows up on the screen, moving around in circles until Blake scowls and pounds her fists on the table. She stands up from her chair and finds the light on the floor, following it blindly through shelves of books until both the dot and its pursuer turn the corner, only for Blake to bump, shocked and shaken out of her more 'animal' instincts, into...**

**Yang waved with her left hand as her right holds the laser pointer, in a sing-song voice**_**:**_** "He-lloooo!"**

"**What are you...?"**

**Yang grabs Blake's arm. "We need to talk." And with that, amid Blake's single cry of surprise, Yang whisks her partner out of the scene.**

* * *

**Emerging from the steaming bathroom in nothing but a pink towel wrapped around his lower body, Ren sighs in contentedness and starts walking away, only to be stopped by Jaune suddenly appearing in front of him.**

"**We need to talk!" Jaune said to his teammate.**

_**And with that, amid Ren's single cry of surprise, Jaune pulls his teammate away, leaving his bottle of 'Samurai Shampoo' to spin in the air before dropping to the ground.**_

"Samurai Shampoo?" Qrow asked with laughter.

* * *

**Jaune sat on his bed in the dorm room, talking to Ren off-screen. "Ren... I'm just gonna say it. You are one of my best friends. These past few months, I feel like we've **_**really**_** bonded, even though you don't say much. I mean, you're **_**really**_** quiet. To be perfectly honest, I don't know that much about you, personally, but darn it, I consider you to be the brother I never had!"**

They all laugh at Jaune's explanation.

**The camera pans out enough to see that Ren is still only wearing his towel and looking extremely uncomfortable, but he still nods and smiles to Jaune when he's done. "And I you." He tries to be attentive from then on, but keeps glancing at his usual outfit hanging by the door.**

"Oh my- Does he not know the meaning of personal space and privacy?" Kali asked, cringing.

"Didn't he say he has seven sisters?" Tai asked.

"By the Gods!" Ghira threw his hands up and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"**Which is why I wanted to get your advice on... girls." Jaune said hesitantly.**

"**Girls?" Ren sounds surprised, but starts reaching out for his clothes while Jaune is looking away.**

**Jaune tries to find the right words to explain. "I just... don't know... how to... girls. Um, I-I guess what I'm asking is... Well, how did you and Nora... y'know..."**

"Even the dense idiot knows that they like each other!" Summer exclaimed.

"And he still can't see Pyrrha right in front of him." Tai said.

"No kidding." Qrow and Raven muttered at the same time.

**Ren puts his hand down after almost touching the green robe, but looks even more awkward now. "Uh... uh... uh..."**

**Nora clears her throat to get the boys' attention on her, wearing nothing but her emblazoned headphones, a 'BOOP' T-shirt, and pink lightning bolt underwear as she reads a book resting on her knees, before she laughs nervously. "We're actually not '**_**together**_**-together...'"**

"You're going to be together if I have any say in it! And if you are my daughters' friends then I am going to help you!" Summer shouted at the screen and to Nora.

The other five leaned away from Summer as Kali leans over to Tai. "Is she always like this?"

"When it comes to idiots in love, yes. She's always like this." Tai nodded seriously.

"**NORA I SAID HEADPHONES ON!" Jaune yelled. Nora does so quickly under her leader's command.**

**Ren focused on his friend fully. "Jaune, what is this all about?"**

"Weiss. But it should be about Pyrrha." Qrow says.

Raven snorted at her brother's tone.

**Jaune sighs deeply before speaking, obviously depressed by staring at the floor as he talks. "It's Weiss. I'm completely head-over-heels for her, and she won't even give me a chance. She's cold, but she's also incredible. She's smart, and graceful, and talented. I mean, have you heard her sing? I-I just wish she's take me seriously, y'know? I wish I could tell her how I feel without messing it all up."**

"You have Pyrrha! Fucking get your head out of your ass and look at the woman who actually likes to be with you!" Tai, Qrow, and Ghira scream at the blond.

"**Then do it." Pyrrha says in the doorway.**

**Jaune looks up to see Pyrrha in the doorway, with Ren and Nora doing the same. "Uh, wha?"**

**Pyrrha walked into the room, "Tell her exactly what you said. No ridiculous schemes, no pick-up lines. Just... be honest."**

"**But what if I-"**

"**Jaune." Pyrrha starts and smiles at him. "You can't get it wrong if it's the truth."**

**Jaune looks up with a new confidence, "You're right." He stands up. "Thanks, Pyrrha!" The blonde leader looks back to his bed as he goes out. "Good talk, Ren!"**

**Ren smiles and waves his thanks while Jaune closes the door. Upon doing so, Pyrrha becomes noticeably less cheerful as she walks over to her desk, with a concerned Nora watching her with sad eyes.**

**Nora sighs and looks sadly at the redhead. "Practice what you preach, Pyrrha."**

"Thank you! Someone finally said it! I'm still setting you and Ren up, Nora." Summer said, smiling brightly.

* * *

"I think this is it. Yang and Blake are going to talk." Kali says as she focuses on the screen. The others watch silently as well.

The twins glance at each other, reaching over to hold the other's hand. They need this, whatever is about to be revealed feels like it will change their team. "Together. They are our family, we protect our own." Raven nods, her face paling a little bit.

"**Yang, if you're going to tell me to stop, you may as well save your breath." Blake said angrily.**

**Yang sat cross-legged on the central desk of the empty classroom they're in, orange light shining across her calm features. "I don't want you to stop; I want you to slow down."**

**Blake continued to pace with arms crossed, still irritated. "I **_**don't**_** have the luxury to slow down."**

The two Faunus frown and glace at each worriedly.

"**It's not a luxury; it's a necessity." Yang points out.**

"It's… it's like she's speaking from experience." Summer says quietly.

"Yeah, but why does she have that experience?" Tai asked, glancing at his teammates, mainly the twins.

"**The 'necessity' is stopping Torchwick." Blake scowled.**

"**And we're going to. But first you have to sit down and listen to what I have to say." The blonde pats the part of the desk across from her.**

**Blake looks away for a moment until she relents and drapes her legs over the desk's edge, "Fine."**

'_This is it. This will change us.'_ Raven thought, her skin paled even more at the dark thoughts swirling in her head.

"**Ruby and I grew up in Patch, an island off the coast of Vale. Our parents were Huntsmen. Our dad taught at Signal, and our mom took on missions around the kingdom. Her name was Summer Rose, and she was, like... Super-Mom: Baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters. And then... one day she left for a mission and never came back." Yang starts her story.**

Ghira pauses the episode to give Team STRQ the time they need to process all that's being revealed. Summer and Raven stare in horror at the paused screen.

"I…" Summer sobs in shock, numbness spreading throughout her body. Raven and Qrow are frozen in fear, their skin is snow white as they shake, not really seeing anything at the moment. Tai was trying to comprehend the fact that Raven might not be Yang's mother at all. He looked between his teammate, him being the most coherent at the moment so he tried to comfort Summer.

"**It was tough. Ruby was really torn up, but... I think she was still too young to really get what was going on, y'know? And my dad just kind of... shut down. It wasn't long before I learned why. Summer wasn't the first love he lost; she was the second. The first... was my mom." **

"What the hell happened to me?! Where is Qrow in this?!" Raven yelled frantically.

"Rae, Rae! Calm down! We will find out, but you need to calm down!" Qrow grabs his sister's shoulders and pulls her into a tight hug. She curls into him and sobs into his chest.

"I… I left Ruby as a baby…" Summer stuttered out in horror. Kali and Ghira kept silent and respected the fact that this was a lot for the Huntsman team to take in.

"By the Gods… this is…" Tai pulled at his hair and laughs brokenly. "What the fuck." He groaned yanking on his blonde hair, tears pooling in his eyes as he looks between the two women who would be the mothers of his daughters.

**Blake looks amazed at this information as Yang keeps talking, "He wouldn't tell me everything, but I learned that the two of them had been on a team together with Summer and Qrow, and that she'd left me with him right after I was born. No one had seen her since."**

As Yang spoke the last sentence Raven broke down screaming. Nothing Qrow or Kali did helped her. "I… I wouldn't leave my child! I wouldn't! I WON'T BE LIKE THEM!"

Ghira went over to Summer, trying to comfort the Silver-Eyed woman who was sobbing into her hands.

Tai looked like he shut down as his eyes grew hazy.

"**Why did she leave you?" Blake asked softly.**

**Yang sighs, then turns to the chalkboard, "That question... Why?" She gets off the desk and walks to the chalkboard, picking up a piece of chalk. "I didn't know an answer, but I was determined to find out. It was all I thought about. I would ask anyone I could about what they knew about her."**

"I won't leave. I won't leave. I won't leave." Raven said like a mantra to Taiyang, tears streaming down her face.

Tai hugs the black haired woman and mutters, "I know. I know you won't leave. I know that. We will change it, I swear. I won't let that happen, I won't let our family be broken."

Qrow goes over to the inconsolable Summer who clings to him and doesn't let go as she sobs into his lap.

_**As the reminiscent blonde starts drawing on the board, the scene shifts to a flat-painted flashback of a young Yang, with orange bows holding her brunette pigtails, looking at the photo found in a smashed picture frame.**_

They all listen to the girl's story with red, puffy eyes and tears still streaming down their faces.

"**Then, one day, I found something. What I thought was a clue that could lead me to answers, or maybe even my mother."**

_**The next shot shows Yang walking down a long winding path through the towering trees shedding their leaves with a little creaking wagon pulled right behind her, a little sister in a crimson hood sleeping soundly inside.**_

Summer freezes as she sees Ruby. "No…" Summer is shaking her head before she even realizes it. Tai tightens his hold on Raven as he watches petrified as his daughters were travelling at night in the woods.

"**I waited for Dad to leave the house, put Ruby in a wagon, and headed out. I must've walked for hours. I had cuts and bruises, I was totally exhausted, but I wasn't gonna let anything stop me. When we finally got there, I could barely stand, but I didn't care; I had made it. And then I saw them. Those **_**burning**_** red eyes..."**

All six adults scream in terror. "NO!"

Raven, Summer, and Tai sob even harder, Qrow is so pale, his skin is grey in horror and fear. In the back of his mind he can feel his Semblance pull at him to cause some mayhem, but he wouldn't give in, not now.

_**In the shadows of the worn-down house the siblings had arrived at, beastly red shapes glow from the darkness.**__**Yang's younger self looks petrified**_**. **

"**There we were: A toddler sleeping in the back of a wagon and a stupid girl too exhausted to even cry for help. We might as well have been served on a silver platter. But, as luck would have it, our uncle showed up just in time."**

All of them, especially Team STRQ breathed a huge sigh of relief. Tai, Summer and Raven all piled onto Qrow to give him a massive hug and grabbed him, needing to know that the man had saved their children.

"It won't happen. We will stop this from happening." Qrow muttered to his distraught teammates, running his hands through Summer and Raven's hair and letting Taiyang's head to rest in the crock of his neck.

_**As the Beowolves leap into the air to devour their young prey, the familiar sound of a gun-scythe follows the sight of them all being cut into pieces by a caped warrior. His bird-haired silhouette fades away to present day, where Yang has just finished drawing a clockwork eye.**_

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The three members of Team STRQ cried to Qrow as he tried to hold all of them. Qrow didn't speak, just nodded and continued to run his hands through the two women's hair.

"**My stubbornness should've gotten us killed that night."**

Qrow eyes narrowed and his arms tighten around his team. He wouldn't let that _happen_! Qrow would not let his team fall apart and his nieces get hurt, _over his dead body_!

"**Yang... I'm sorry that happened to you, and I understand what you're trying to tell me, but this is different. I'm not a child, and this isn't just a search for answers! I can't just-"**

**Yang is still facing the board, fists clenching. "I **_**told**_** you: I'm not telling you to stop! I haven't! To this day, I **_**still**_** want to know what happened to my mother and why she left me, but I will never let that search control me. We're going to find the answers we're looking for, Blake. But if we destroy ourselves in the process, what good are we?"**

Raven whimpers as she clenches her fists even more into the fabric of her brother's shirt. _'What happened? Did I die?'_ The dark thoughts returned to Raven full-force at the thought of her death. She wasn't scared of death, and neither was Qrow. But… leaving her daughter with nothing but her name… it made Raven feel sick.

"**You don't understand! I'm the only one who can do this!" Blake yelled to her partner.**

"**No, **_**you**_** don't understand!" Yang turns around sharply to reveal red eyes and the sound of flames. "If Roman Torchwick walked through that door, what would you do?"**

Qrow and Raven gasp. "I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing our eyes in Yang." Qrow chuckles as he nods.

"Same, it's weird but comforting. Maybe… maybe Yang having our eyes is a sign that things get better between the three of us?" Qrow asks while Raven shrugs lightly, not knowing the answer.

"I don't know." She whispers to him, continuing to hug her brother.

"**I'd fight him!"**

"**You'd **_**lose**_**!" Yang pushes Blake away.**

"**I can stop him!" She tiredly tries to do the same to Yang, but she doesn't even budge.**

"**You can't even stop me!" Yang shouts.**

_**She pushes Blake again, knocking her to land on the desk. Yang, still angry-eyed, walks toward Blake as she gets up, but then does the unexpected and embraces her in a hug, her eyes going back to their normal purple.**_

"**I'm not asking you to stop. Just please, get some rest." She pulls back to look at her partner, "Not just for you, but for the people you care about." The blonde steps away and starts walking past the startled Blake, who turns when she says over her shoulder: "And if you feel like coming out tomorrow, I'll save you a dance."**

_**Yang winks down at Blake, and Blake stares at Yang as she leaves before sighing heavily and walking away, leaving the all-seeing eye on the board.**_

"Thank you." Kali says to Taiyang, Raven, and Summer. They nod to her and Ghira.

"You have no idea how happy it makes us to know that Blake will have friends and teammates that will stick by her no matter what." Ghira said with a smile on his face.

"We are family, always." Summer said to the Faunus. She was only sniffling now, not sobbing anymore.

* * *

_**The white rose in Jaune's hand bounces up and down as its smiling owner walks through Beacon Academy until he stops at the entrance of a hallway with the sound of a certain voice, causing him to duck behind the columns outside.**_

"**Neptune!" Weiss walks past Jaune as he peeks around the corner and goes up to Neptune.**

Ghira sighs at the foolishness of the blond boy, but understands his motives.

"Hopefully he and Pyrrha get together at the dance." Kali says, placing a hand on Ghira's.

"**Oh, uh, hey, what's up?" He asks the white haired girl.**

"**I know this is a little unorthodox, but... I wanted to ask you something." She puts her hands behind her back trying to look innocent as Jaune drops his smile and recoils at the oncoming words. "Would you... like to accompany me to the dance tomorrow?"**

_**While Neptune rubs the back of his head and smiles with raised eyebrows, Jaune loses all of his confidence and drops the rose on the ground before walking back from where he came from.**_

"That idiot will get Pyrrha. We'll make sure of it!" Summer says with a smile, humming as she thinks of a way to get the two teenagers together. It distracts her enough to not have to think of the story Yang had just finished telling Blake.

* * *

_**The sight of the lonely, abandoned rose turns into a large collection of the same flowers, one dropping outward, in a large vase behind Yang, now in a short white dress with black heels as she stands at a podium. The doors in front of her open and she flips out upon seeing who walks in.**_

"Well, she wasn't wrong." Qrow said, smirking at his neice.

"She's definitely turning heads in that." Tai whistles and both Summer and Raven slap him.

"That is your daughter, Taiyang Xiao Long!" Summer shrieks.

"I know where she got her looks from." Tai says, smirking at Raven, who turns beet red.

"Not a word, Tai. Not one or I'll shave your hair off at night!" Raven threatened.

Tai pales and moves his arms to cover his head, pleading for Raven to be joking. Raven just smied innocently.

"You're evil! Qrow! Why do you have such an evil sister?" Tai whined.

"No clue, haven't figured that out." Qrow shrugged and kept his hand in his sister's hair, knowing it's calming her down, slowly.

"**Ooohh, you look **_**beautiful!" **_**Yang says to her sister.**

**Ruby groans as she looks distressed in her red dress with black lace, belt, and pumps. "Can we have a serious talk about how Weiss fights in these?" The small girl tries to maintain her balance as she walks to the podium, much to her laughing sister's amusement.**

The women snort. "That's true. But fighting in heels is actually a very stupid idea if you're not trained like that." Summer speaks up.

* * *

_**Meanwhile outside, Sun is seen walking around and wearing a new black jacket (now closed up) with a white tie hung around his neck, which he proceeds to fight with before going inside.**_

"**Stupid... dumb... neck trap!" Sun struggles with his tie.**

"**I knew you'd look better in a tie."**

_**Sun stops his struggling and stares at the dark purple dress worn by Blake, now looking like she traded her dark bags for violet eyeshadow, as she steps forward and takes him by the arm.**_

Qrow whistles. "Damn! Blake looks good with a few hours of sleep and some makeup!"

Ghira looks ready to rip the black haired male apart but Kali stops him by wrapping her arms around his middle and glaring at Qrow.

"Please reframe from cat-calling our daughter." Kali pauses, realizing what she just said. "And ignore the pun, it was unintended."

"**Sooo, does this mean we're going... **_**together**_**?" Sun asks her hopefully.**

**Blake smiles, "Technically, though my first dance is spoken for."**

"Not _that_, I want to see!" Qrow thinks about Yang and Blake dancing together. He has no issue with Yang being in a relationship with another woman, and he knows that Raven won't care either. Both want Yang and Ruby to grow up without the Tribe breathing down their necks all the time. Especially with Yang, because she is Raven daughter and technically the heir to the tribe. He really hopes that both of them can get out without having to kill the people who took them in, but he knows that it might come to that.

* * *

_**Inside the ballroom, streamers are hung through glass chandeliers, pink and blue balloons are everywhere, and students in dark suits and bright dresses are stepping with each other to the music between the white-clothed tables. Blake is spun around by Yang before they curtsey to one another, and Sun comes up and takes his date's hands as Yang gestures for him to do so. She goes to hang with Ruby and Weiss (in a similar white dress as Yang's) in the back of the room, watching Blake laugh and enjoy herself before smiling at her team.**_

"I don't like that boy." Ghira mutters, his overprotectiveness coming out.

Kali laughs, "Let her enjoy this. It's what she and the others need after what they've been through.

"**I told you she would come." Yang says with a soft smile on her lips.**

"**Mission accomplished." Weiss says, also smiling and mentally thanking Yang.**

**Ruby turned to her teammates. "Soooo, what do we do now?"**

"**Just have fun!" Yang proceeds to walk away and do so, with Weiss going the opposite direction and leaving Ruby behind.**

**Ruby shouted after Yang**_**:**_** "Does that mean I can change out of these stupid things and into my hood now?" Upon receiving no answer, she waddles around in her painful footwear. "Stupid lady stilts!"**

The females laugh at Ruby's antics, Tai and Qrow share a rare smile with each other, liking the way Summer and Raven's faces light up when their daughters are together.

"We won't our family break apart." Qrow whispers to the blond, who nods.

"Nothing will stop us from protecting our girls."

"They aren't fragile damsels, and if we treat them like that they'll kick our asses." Qrow reminds him.

Tai shurgs. "It'll be worth it."

"**Not enjoying yourself?" Ozpin asks, coming up beside the young leader.**

**Ruby was surprised to see the headmaster step up by her side, but shakes her head and laughs. "Oh, no, everything's fine! I'm just not much of a fancy pantsy... dancey girl."**

Ghira laughs at Ruby's brief explanation to the headmaster. "My, my. Summer your daughter is truly something."

"Yeah, she is." Summer leans into Tai and gives him a small kiss on the cheek. "The only reason I have Ruby is because of Tai. And I'm grateful that I have a daughter as amazing as Ruby." Tai goes red at the thought of him and Summer and Ruby as a family.

"I'm really looking forward to having our daughters. _Both_ of them." Tai wraps his arms around both of the women on his team as Qrow rolls his eyes.

"Lucky asshole!" Qrow growls playfully.

"Oh come on, Qrow! I'm sure you'll find someone. Hell, it might even be in future episodes of the future!" Summer bounces, thinking about who could be Qrow's significant other.

Qrow's now the one to turn red and coughs into his hand, trying and failing to get rid of his blush. "Uh… yeah, maybe." He whispers, head ducked down. He didn't know if he would ever find someone who would complete him like he can clearly see with Kali and Ghira, and Tai, Summer, and Raven. But he hopes so; he just doesn't know _when_ that would be.

**Ozpin chuckles, "Well, you can't spend your whole life on the battlefield, even if you may want to."**

They all chuckle at that.

**Ruby crossed her arms, looking annoyed. "Yeah, that lesson's been floating around a lot lately."**

**Ozpin stared out at the dancing couples. "If you think about it, fighting and dancing aren't so different. Two partners interlocked, although one wrong move on the ballroom merely leads to a swollen foot."**

**Ruby looking down at her own feet. "Or a twisted ankle."**

"**It's not every day that friends are able to come together like this. Time has a way of testing our bonds, but it's nights like these that can help keep them stronger than ever. Nights like these are ones we'll never forget." Ozpin tells her softly.**

'_He's speaking from personal experience. I wonder what happened to him.' _Summer thought, frowning a bit.

_**Ruby smiles at the words of wisdom, but turns her head at the sound of the doors opening. Yang is back behind the podium, and smiles at the new arrivals.**_

"**You guys are just in time!" Yang greets.**

**Mercury and Emerald step in with their ballroom best on before the screen goes black and the credits roll**_**:**_** "Wouldn't miss it for the world."**

"I think we all need some time to process what we just learned." Kali said softly, and the others nod slowly. Kali and Ghira leave to their room, knowing that Team STRQ will need to come to terms with what happened to their team in the future. The would seek out the Faunus when they were ready.


	28. V2C7: Dance Dance Infiltration

"I want Blake to be happy." Kali said as they reached their room in the alternate dimension they were in.

Ghira looked at his girlfriend and furrowed his brow. "I want that too, but what do you mean by that?"

Kali sighed and sat down on the bed; Ghira joined her and wrapped an arm around her. "I want her happy and safe. But I also want her experience her own life without our direct intervention."

The Cat Faunus looked up at the man she loved, "I think when we get back we should focus on the White Fang and creating better relations between Humans and Faunus, starting with publicly introducing Team STRQ as our first Human allies. I love Blake, Ghira. I love our daughter, but I think letting her grow up in a world where she knows Humans that are good people. Team STRQ is the first, then we can go on from there. We will do this together, a joint effort, I'm sure that they would agree to this as well."

"You really want to change it all, don't you?" Ghira asked, taking her hand in his larger one.

"I do, this is the right thing to do, for all of us. All of the discrimination and the hate… it's just going to continue if we don't take measures to fix it. Measures that won't be easily broken when or if you step down as High Leader, Ghira."

"Okay." Ghira agreed with his girlfriend. "Alright, this will be our first step, one of many that will change the future for our daughter and for every Faunus out there. The White Fang will not be what it is in the future!" Ghira said sternly. Kali smiled at him and kissed him.

"Let's go tell them about our decision." Kali says softly. Together, the two Faunus head back to the small living room and wait for Team STRQ to arrive for the next video.

**…**

Raven was still crying and repeating the words: 'I won't leave,' over and over again to Tai. It was beginning to get borderline frantic, so Qrow pulled Raven away from Summer and Tai, taking his sobbing sister to the gym that they had in this place.

"Rae, talk to me. What's going on in your head?" Qrow asks softly, trying to get his twin to calm down.

"I… Can't- I left them, Qrow! I left her with nothing but her name! Do you know how fucked up that is when the Tribe raised us to care for our family!" Raven screamed.

"No! They _made_ us care for _them_. They made us care for murderers, thieves, and rapists. They made us and twisted us into killers. You know why were sent to Beacon. You know what the chieftain told us the night before we left." Qrow spat, his red eyes narrow and dark in anger at remembering that night.

Raven closed her eyes and flinched as she also remembered that night. "Either survive and come back stronger, or die in shame."

"You know what they will do to me if I come back without you." Qrow mumbled and looked down at the floor.

"We won't let the future that we are watching come to pass. We will fix it, we will save our family. Our true family." Raven whispered, both siblings crying.

Team STRQ, Kali, and Ghira.

**…**

"Should we check on them?" Summer asked the blonde.

"No, I know you're worried about them, but whatever this is… they won't like our help, even if we offer it. You remember how it was in our first year. Those two never strayed too far from each other and barely spoke to us or the teachers. If they come to us, then we will try and help him." Tai told the silver eyed woman in his arms.

"What are you going to do?" Summer asked suddenly, Tai gave her a confused look. "About Yang and Ruby. How… How will that work?"

The man sighed and leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. "I don't know. But I do know that I want both of my daughters. I want all of us to stay together; no matter if that means that I need to marry both you and Raven. Or whatever else that pertains. I want us to be together, Sum. You, me, Raven, Qrow, Yang, and Ruby. I want our family to be complete; I also want it to include Kali and Ghira, somehow." He admitted to his team leader.

"We also need to help Weiss. Children shouldn't be condemned for their parents' mistakes." Summer said. "When we get back, I want to go to Atlas after we graduate from Beacon and see if we can connect with Weiss' mother. Jacques is a dick, so there's no chance of him ever changing, but I think we might be able to get through to the actual heir to the SDC."

"Maybe, we can run it by Raven and Qrow. I'm sure that Weiss or at least Winter would appreciate a playmate, even if Yang is just a baby." Tai said with a small smile on his lips. He was really looking forward to being a father to his girls. And if he could help people along the way, it made it all the better.

"Come on; let's wait for the others in the living room. I want to see the dance. I hope Jaune and Pyrrha get together by the end of the video." Summer said, pulling herself up to stand and giving a hand to Tai. The two left the room they shared with the twins and made it to the living room where the two Faunus were waiting patiently. A little while later, the twins came out and sat down, Raven next to Tai and Summer and Qrow surprisingly next to Kali and Ghira.

"Shall we begin?" Ghira asked, his thumb on the PLAY button. The others nod and he presses the button.

* * *

**Dance Dance Infiltration**

**The first scene is of random students schmoozing at the dance. Bartholomew Oobleck is shown to be listening intently as Peter Port laughs over some unheard anecdote. Ozpin is standing off to the side with Glynda Goodwitch until General James Ironwood offers his hand for her to dance with him. Jaune Arc approaches Ruby Rose, who is standing pensively near the refreshments tables.**

"She doesn't know how to dance, does she?" Kali asked Summer and Tai.

"No idea, but maybe?" Summer shrugged but she's happy seeing Ruby with her friends enjoying themselves.

"**I see you're hiding at the punch bowl too." Jaune said conversationally.**

"**Yep."**

"**To the socially awkward." The blonde said with a slight smile. Ruby giggles and they clink glasses.**

They all snorted and chuckled at how true that statement is. Especially made by Jaune.

"I feel like Jaune actually _does_ know how to dance." Kali hummed with a secret smile.

"What are you…?" Raven tried at ask the other woman but the Cat Faunus just giggled.

"Oh, just wait. I'm sure we'll get a treat for this video."

"**Sorry things didn't work out with Weiss." Ruby apologized to her friend.**

**Jaune shrugged, "Meh, it's fine. Neptune's pretty **_**'cool'**_**. I get why she went with him."**

"**What do you mean?" Ruby questioned, looking at the blonde.**

"**Well, come on, not many people can pull off **_**blue**_** hair." Jaune begins to drink his punch.**

"**No, I mean, Weiss came to the dance alone." Ruby told the other team leader.**

**Jaune chokes in surprise. He turns to Ruby, "Uh, what?"**

**Weiss Schnee is shown trying desperately to coax life out of a wilting white rose. When she fails, she looks visibly upset.**

"What the hell? Doesn't she know that this is a dance, which means she's supposed to be enjoying herself, not doing what she's doing." Tai asks rhetorically.

**Ruby shrugged. "Yeah, she said that she had too much to focus on to worry about boys."**

**Laughter draws Weiss' attention to Sun Wukong, Blake Belladonna, and Neptune Vasilias as the latter entertains the others with some impressions and other silly faces. Jaune, shown to be observing as well, becomes visibly perturbed.**

"At least she's having fun." Kali whispers to her boyfriend, squeezing his arm in excitement.

"_**Hold my punch." **_**Jaune growled.**

**Jaune hands Ruby his glass and no sooner than he vanishes from sight, she accidently drinks from his cup. As Jaune makes his way across the room, shoving other students aside - some of which were not even in his path - he stops short and watches as Pyrrha Nikos passes by. He watches her walk ****glumly up the stairs and seems to have a change of heart.**

Summer and Tai glanced at each other and smiled. "They are really good friends." Tai smirked.

"Shut up! I still want Jaune to end up with Pyrrha." Summer hisses at the blonde, hitting his arm.

* * *

**The scene shifts to Pyrrha on a balcony as Jaune approaches behind her. "Hey, Pyrrha."**

**Pyrrha turns around to face him. "Hello, Jaune."**

"**You okay? I haven't seen you tonight." He asks.**

**Pyrrha turned back to the balcony, "Arrived late, I'm afraid."**

"**Well, you **_**look**_** really nice."**

"At least he knows how to complement her." Tai says with a small smile.

**Pyrrha raised her hand near her mouth, "Thank you." Her hand falls away.**

**Jaune was nervously tipping on his toes. "Your, uh, date isn't going to beat me up for saying that, is he?"**

"**I think you're safe for tonight." She told her crush.**

**Jaune rubbed his hands, "So, where **_**is**_** the guy?"**

**Pyrrha turns back toward Jaune. Her head sinks in melancholy**_**.**_** "There is no guy."**

**Jaune chuffs nervously**_**.**_** "What?"**

**Pyrrha shook her head glumly, "Nobody asked me."**

"She's a tournament champion, so of course she's going to be put on a pedestal to her fans. People don't believe that they have any chance with her, even though she's a normal girl just like everyone else." Kali frowned, sad for the redhead.

"**But that's..." the blonde couldn't get the right words out, gesturing towards her. You're Pyrrha Nikos! H-How could nobody ask you?"**

**Pyrrha turned towards the balcony again. "I've been **_**blessed**_** with incredible talents and opportunities. I'm **_**constantly**_** surrounded by love and praise, ****but when you're placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place. Everyone **_**assumes**_** I'm too good for them. That I'm on a level they simply can't attain. It's become impossible to form **_**any**_** sort of meaningful relationship with people. That's what I like about **_**you**_**. When we met, you didn't even know my name. You treated me just like anyone else. And thanks to you, I've made friendships that will last a lifetime. I guess, you're the kind of guy I wish I was here with. Someone who just saw me for me." His partner explained.**

Kali sighed and closed her eyes. Ghira winced and clutched at Kali as she shuddered. Summer and Tai glanced at the Cat Faunus, concerned about the two Faunus' reaction.

"Kali? Are you okay?" Taiyang asked.

Ghira tried to smile but it turned to a wince. "It's okay. I'm okay now. Thank you." She whispered.

"No you're not. What the hell just happened?" Raven asked, crossing her arms over her chest, glaring at the older woman.

"You know that Ghira is the High Leader of the White Fang. However, I am something more." Kali took a deep breath and turned to Team STRQ. "I'm supposed to be the new ruler of Menagerie and the Faunus people."

That wasn't what anyone was expecting Kali to say. "Well shit." Qrow grunted.

"That… wasn't what I was expecting." Taiyang said, "But know that you have friends that will help you should you need it." Summer and the twins nod, and Tai smiles brightly.

The two Faunus share shocked looks and Kali breaks into a relieved smile. "Thank you." Her hands clasped together.

**Pyrrha looks at Jaune and then walks away while Jaune simply stares in astonishment.**

"**W-Wai-!" Jaune watches as Pyrrha turns a corner. Neptune has appeared on the balcony, gesturing toward Jaune.**

"Wonder what he wants." Raven asks, smirking at the two male members of her team.

"Rae, don't. Please." Qrow groaned.

"What? Can't I ask?" Raven teases.

"You can, but we all know what you want to do." Summer deadpanned to the other woman.

"You're no fun." Raven grumbled.

"Well excuse me! I don't want to have our dorm destroyed by you and your brother's crazy sibling rivalry!" Summer shrieked, remembering the last time the twins had the dorm all to themselves and knowing nothing good would come after this video.

"**Hey, uh, Jaune, right?" Neptune asks the team leader.**

**Jaune sighs, "Yeah."**

"**This party's pretty **_**lame**_**, huh? I mean, ballroom dancing. Pfft." Neptune says to the blonde.**

"**Yeah." Jaune looks back out over the balcony.**

**Neptune gestured back to the dance. "Cute girls, though, huh?"**

Team STRQ sans Raven sighed as the red eyed woman just smirked. "Playboy." Raven sang, looking directly at Tai.

"Please don't." Tai groaned, his face in his hands.

"So you're denying the fact that that you tried to hit on me when you first saw me?" Raven raised an eyebrow. Tai turned pink and groaned again. "And that you made a complete ass of yourself curtesy of my brother's Semblance?" She continued as Qrow snickered.

**Jaune growls as he turns back to Neptune, gesturing, "Is that **_**all**_** you think about?"**

**Neptune raised his palms to waist level. "Huh?"**

"**Do you even **_**care**_** about the girls you're hitting on? How they feel about **_**you**_**?" Jaune asked angrily.**

"_**Whoa**_**!" He backed up, throwing his palms up. "Where's **_**this**_** coming from?"**

**Jaune stepped towards the other student-Hunter. "How could you just turn her down like that?"**

"**Wait, h-**_**who**_**?"**

"_**Weiss**_**!" Jaune yelled at him.**

"**I, **_**uh**_**... it, uh... it just didn't work out, you know?" Neptune stammered.**

"_**What**_**? You think that you're too **_**cool**_**, too many other **_**options**_**? Weiss Schnee asked **_**you**_** to the dance. What in the **_**world**_** could **_**possibly**_** keep you from go-"**

**Neptune looked shamefully at the ground, cutting the Beacon team leader off. "I can't dance!"**

Team STRQ burst out laughing, all of them had tears running down their faces as they clutched their stomachs.

"Oh Gods! I- I knew it! Pay up, Tai!" Raven yelled, still laughing. Tai grumbled and took out a Lien note out of his pocket at reluctantly handed it to her.

"**Beg your pardon?"**

"**I can't dance, man!" The Team SSSN member responded again.**

"**But... you're so **_**cool**_**!" Jaune said, gesturing to the other teenager.**

"**Thank you. I try really, **_**really**_** hard." Neptune sighed.**

"Idiot. They're both idiots!" Tai said, throwing up his hands and shaking his head.

"Yes they are. But you can't fault them for that. They are teenagers and are still learning about the world." Ghira replied to the other male.

"**You would rather break a girl's heart and go to a dance **_**alone**_** than just admit to everyone that you can't move in rhythm to music?" The blonde asked.**

"**That about sums it up, yeah." The other boy nods.**

**Jaune turned back to the balcony, "Well, I certainly feel a lot better about myself." He muttered.**

"_**Please**_** don't tell anybody. Look, if you want Weiss, she's all yours. I don't wanna get in your way." Neptune pleaded with the other teen.**

"I don't know about you, but… it may not be the best blackmail material, but it's at least something." Raven said, smirking again.

"True, but who would really care? I can only think of the female Haven students that like him." Qrow said.

**Jaune turns back towards Neptune. He placed his palms on the stone banister. "Do you like her?"**

"**Yeah, I mean I don't know her too well yet, but she seems pretty cool." The electric bleu haired boy shrugged.**

"**Then just go **_**talk**_** to her. No pickup lines, no **_**suave**_** moves, just be yourself. I've heard that's the way to go." Jaune advised him.**

"**Yeah, but then-"**

"**Hey! You **_**don't have**_** to look cool **_**all**_** the **_**time**_**. In all honesty, if you could be a little **_**less**_** cool, I'd **_**really**_** appreciate it." The blonde replied.**

**Neptune considers Jaune's advice. "Yeah, okay."**

"**Go talk to her. I guarantee it'll make her night." Jaune said, smiling a bit.**

**Neptune nods, "Thanks. You're a really cool guy, Jaune."**

**Neptune approaches Jaune, holding his fist out for a bump. "Alright, don't lie to my face." Jaune said.**

**The two of them bump fists and Neptune walks away. Jaune looks up at the sky and sighs. "All right, only one thing left to do."**

"So… anyone think that Janue made a new friend?" Summer asked, smiling gently at seeing her daughter's first friend branching out. Now Ruby needs to do that as well.

"Perhaps. That may be a good thing." Kali said, smiling as well. The two women share a glance that make the males in the room nervous.

Raven is the only one that voices her concerns. "You two are planning something, aren't you?"

Summer continues to smile innocently at her teammate. "Maybe." She sings.

Raven sighs but doesn't say anything else.

* * *

**The scene shifts to show Yang Xiao Long leaning on a handrail and overlooking the festivities from a second tier as Ruby approaches and leans on the rail. "You know? I think we really needed this." Yang starts.**

**Blake and Sun are slow dancing while Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie appear to be Waltzing. Penny Polendina is shown to be dancing alone, guarded by two Atlas Soldiers. "Yeah, and you did a great job planning it too!" Ruby says to her older sister.**

"I'm glad that they're all having fun." Summer said.

"They _do_ deserve this, they need a break from chasing criminals all of the time." Kali said.

**Yang reached over to Ruby. "Aw, thanks!" She crushed Ruby in a one-arm hug as the younger girl flails frantically. "It wasn't all me, though. Weiss did a lot too."**

**Ruby stops struggling and looks down at Weiss. Neptune approaches and rubs his neck nervously. Weiss invites him to sit with her. "Tomorrow it's ****back to work." Yang told her sister.**

"**I'm sure we can handle whatever gets thrown at us." Ruby started to say but trialed off as sudden fits of laughter and giggles drew their attention below. "Ex-**_**cept**_** for that."**

Qrow and Raven share a wicked smile as Tai begins to laughs hysterically and quickly takes out his Scroll.

**The camera pushes past some students to Pyrrha who turns around to see...**

"**Jaune?"**

**Jaune is shown to now be wearing a white dress with a blue ribbon. "Eh, a promise is a promise." The boy says to his partner, shrugging.**

Everyone bust out laughing, crying again in the utter hilarity that Jaune actually showed up in a dress for Pyrrha.

"Now fucking kiss!" Summer, Kali, and Tai scream together, wanting to see the two students to finally be a couple already.

**Pyrrha smiled... then giggled... then laughed aloud. "Jaune! You didn't **_**have**_** to!"**

"**Hey, an Arc never goes back on his word." He extended his hand out to Pyrrha. "Now do you wanna stand there and laugh at me, or do **_**you**_** wanna dance?"**

"And he can dance! Go get your girl!" Tai smirked as he laughed, taking picture after picture of the boy wearing a dress.

"You have to send me that, Tai!" Qrow gasped out, as he continued to laugh.

"Don't worry, I will." He told his teammate.

"**I would **_**love**_** to dance." Pyrrha smiles as Jaune pulls her to him and sweeps her away**_**.**_

**Nora flails excitedly, "Ren. This... is... **_**happening**_**!"**

"Yes it is! Let's go!" Summer shouted, bouncing up and down in her seat excitedly.

"**Wait, what 'is happening'?" Ren asks, confused.**

**Nora grabs Ren and drags him out onto the dance floor with Pyrrha and Jaune.**

**Team JNPR starts to dance in perfect synchronization. Cheering from the other students is heard as they all watch the scene play out in awe and amazement.****The dance ends with ****Jaune spinning Pyrrha.**

Team STRQ and the two Faunus are all slack-jawed in awe as they watch the dance. "Hold up!" Tai said and grabbed the remote, rewinding the video back to the start of Team JNPR's dance.

They watched the dance again and were still shocked at what they saw. "So… how long do you think they had been planning that out?" Summer asks.

"I want to know who even came up with the idea." Qrow said, grinning wildly as he flicked through the video and pictures of Team JNPR's dace and Jaune in a dress.

"Probably Jaune." Ghira pointed out.

"Why do you say that?" Raven asks the Feline Faunus. The High Leader of the White Fang didn't say anything else; he just waited until Taiyang resumed the video.

"**I had **_**no**_** idea you were a dancer." The redhead says as she and Jaune continue to dance.**

"**Yeah, well, these things tend to happen when you grow up with seven sisters." Jaune dips Pyrrha and then spins her away.**

Ghira smirked at the red-eyed woman. Raven huffed and rolled her eyes.

**Neptune and Weiss are shown to be watching the dancers. "So, what made you change your mind?" The Heiress asks her crush.**

"**Huh?"**

"**You said you were embarrassed at first. What made you come talk to me?" Weiss asks, a bit shy.**

"**You're looking at him." He nods towards the dance floor as they watch Jaune dancing with Pyrrha. "You got some good friends looking out for ya."**

Summer, Tai, Ghira, and Kali all smile at each other. "She's changing for the better." Kali whispered as Ghira nods.

"It seems I was wrong." Ghira said, privately hopeful to see Human-Faunus relations grow stronger and better when they would get back. Their first step was getting Team STRQ on board.

**Jaune and Pyrrha continue to dance. Ren and Nora do a kind of disco dance, Sun and Blake join the mix and Penny and an Atlas guard is shown doing the 'robot'.**

**Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai are shown to be observing the students from the next tier.**

"Them." Ghira growls and narrows his eyes. Neither he or Kali forgot what Mercury and Emerald did to Tukson.

"**It appears all the dancers have partners." Emerald said.**

"_**How long do I have?" **_**Cinder asks, via an ear-bud.**

"**You should probably be home by midnight, to be safe." Mercury warned.**

**Cinder Fall is shown to be somewhere outside, holding her fingers to her ear. "I'll keep my eye on the clock." The woman replies.**

**Ruby, having made her way to the exit, walks out of the dance and into the night air. She watches a figure running along the rooftops and then moves to pursue.**

"What are they planning?" Tai asks, worried about his daughter.

* * *

**Outside the Cross Continental Transmit System Tower, Cinder (dressed as a cat burglar), stealthily approaches an armed guard. She knife-hands the back of his head, rendering him unconscious with a stunned grin on his face. She drags him behind some bushes. Inside the building, Cinder approaches more guards.**

"At least she's not killing them." Kali says, worried and thinking back to what happened to Tukson.

"She doesn't _need_ to kill them." Qrow grunted.

"**Excuse me, no one's allowed in this area." The first Atlas Soldier says, but Cinder continues to approach. "**_**Stop!"**_

**The soldier opens fire when Cinder does not heed him. She manages to overpower him, using his gun to take out another approaching soldier. She then throws him against a handrail. Two more soldiers rush her wielding batons. Cinder flash-forges a pair of black blades from fire Dust and trounces them both.**

"She _chooses_ to kill them." Qrow continued, making Kali pale.

**Two guards are shown to be on an elevator. "Hey, man, do you know the Wi-Fi password?" The second Atlas Soldier asks his companion.**

"**It's Beacon, but replace the E with a 3 and add a pound symbol to the end." The third soldier said.**

"Are you kidding me?" Tai and Qrow ask in shock.

"They are literally on duty and they- What the hell is Ironwood doing recruiting these idiots?" Qrow asks, waving his hands around.

"Why are you asking us? None of us are Atlesian, we have no idea how the military is run." Tai responds.

**The elevator door opens to show Cinder waiting. One of the guards notices the fallen men outside. Both guards grow apprehensive as Cinder casually walks onto the elevator, the doors closing as she turns around. Thrashing sounds can be heard from outside the elevator.**

**Outside the building, Ruby approaches and sees the unconscious guard. She gasps and pulls out her Scroll, dialing for her weapon locker which crashes into the courtyard and opens to reveal Crescent Rose.**

"Ruby… Please be careful. You have no idea what you're really up against." Summer whispered, she had Tai's hand in a vice-grip as she watched her daughter. Raven and Qrow both sat up and watched what would happen to Summer's child.

**Inside the building, the elevator doors open to show Cinder examining a Scroll. The two guards are knocked out.**

"**Oh! That's handy." She said, slipping the Scroll into her pocket and walks out of the elevator and toward the control consoles nearby.**

"_**A party guest is leaving." **_**Emerald's voice suddenly came in through the ear-bud.**

**Cinder sighs, "Which one?"**

**Emerald is shown to be dancing with Mercury. "Ironwood." Emerald tells her.**

**Ironwood is shown to be walking out the door as Ozpin gives his send-off. "I guess the general's had enough fun for one night." Mercury mutters.**

**Random code appearing on a computer screen is shown to change into a Queen Chess piece.**

"The Queen Chess piece is going to be important sometime in the future." Ghira suddenly speaks up.

"For what, though?" Qrow asks the White Fang High Leader.

"That what worries me." Ghira says, rubbing his chin.

"_**Should we intervene?" **_**Mercury asks Cinder.**

**The other monitors in the room light up. "No... we're done here." Cinder replies.**

**As she starts to walk away, she notices the elevator doors opening. Ruby steps out of the elevator slowly, brandishing her weapon. "Hello?" Ruby stumbles due to her high-heeled shoes**_**.**_** "Is anyone there? Hello?"**

'_Ruby… please…' _Summer thought of her daughter. She hoped that the girl would be fine, but she really didn't know, and that terrified her. She didn't want to lose her daughter.

**Cinder rises from her hiding place and steps out toward Ruby. "Excuse me? You know, it's not a masquerade party, so why don't you take off that-!" Ruby starts saying but is cut off when the masked woman attacks her.**

**Cinder produces a container of dust from her belt expelling a cloud that glows. Condensing into glass shards that go flying at Ruby. A battle ensues as she defends herself then opens fire. Cinder blocks each shot with her hand as parts of the outfit glow. She once again summons a pair of blades, Ruby launches herself forward but Cinder dodges. Her eyes and outfit glowing again as she combines the blades into a bow and fires three arrows. Ruby stumbles back from the resulting explosion and they stare each other down. But their fight is interrupted by the appearance of Ironwood on the nearby elevator. Ruby is visibly glad to see him until she notices that Cinder has disappeared.**

**In a hallway, Cinder discards two bracelets and her mask to change from her stealth suit into a black dress and enters the dance. Two guards following her crush the bracelets underfoot and are visibly confused at the sight of the crowded dance hall. The screen pans over various people including Neptune dancing and having a good time as they walk back out.**

"What is that? Can she control Dust with her Semblance or is it… Magic?" Kali asks, looking towards the Hunter team.

"Maybe? I mean, a lot of civilians think that Hunter's Semblances are magic, but that's just superstition made by them to explain to their kids." Summer explained to the two Faunus.

"Whatever truth there is to this… it might be magic but it might just be a Semblance. We still don't know." Raven continued after her team leader.

**Cinder taps Emerald's shoulder. "Oh, may I cut in?" Cinder asks politely.**

**Emerald steps aside. "Of course." The green haired thief says.**

**Emerald leaves as Cinder begins to dance with Mercury. "And how's **_**your**_** night been?"**

"**Mmm... a little more **_**exciting**_** than expected." Cinder smiles lightly.**

"**Should we be worried?" The silver haired boy asks, raising an eyebrow at his boss.**

**Cinder scoffs. "Hardly... They'll be scratching their heads long after we finished what we came here for."**

"**So then what now?"**

"**Enjoy the rest of the night. After all, it is a party." The black haired woman says as she dances with the assassin.**

**The camera pans away from the two showing the rest of the party. Jaune and Pyrrha are sitting at a table, Sun and Blake are dancing, there is a squad of red and yellow soldiers outside and Ironwood is shown approaching Ruby before one last shot of the Queen chess piece appears on the computer screen and the clock chimes midnight.**

"I really don't want to be right about this." Ghira mumbles as the video ends.

"Want to watch another one?" Qrow asks.

The answer was obvious.


	29. V2C8: Field Trip

**Sorry for the long wait, I had to focus on my family and with everything happening with the virus, it made everything stop for a while. But I'm back! The rest of the Volume 2 chapters should be finishing up in about a month or so if I can keep up with my update schedule, but know that I need to put this on another hiatus when I finish V2 because I want to get V3 done right and get the reactions especially for what Team STRQ, Kali and Ghira find out in V3. Thank you for your patience and understanding!**

* * *

They started watching the new chapter immediately.

**Field Trip**

**A shot of Beacon Academy the next day following the Beacon Dance, then cuts to inside Ozpin's office, with General James Ironwood and Glynda Goodwitch keeping the headmaster company.**

"**They were here... Ozpin, they were **_**here!" **_**Ironwood raised his voice, almost shouting at the grey haired headmaster. Ironwood angrily slams his fist against Ozpin's desk.**

"Yeah, we all know, Iron-dick." Qrow said, rolling his eyes. "You don't need to keep repeating it."

"**We're very much aware of that! Thank you, James." Glynda said.**

"**Fantastic! You're aware! Now are we going to do something about it or should we just stay the course and continue to ignore what's**_** right**_** in front of us?!" The general asked.**

"He's got a point. What are they going to do?" Kali said.

"What can they do? Oz and the others know that someone infiltrated the school but they have no idea who it is. They can't just screen everyone can they?" Tai says, leaning back against the sofa.

"No they can't. It would make it seem like something is wrong." Ghira said.

"No shit, I mean, look at how many warships Ironwood brought for the tournament." Raven commented.

"So is he paranoid or is something actually going to happen?" Tai questions.

**An alert sound plays, signifying that someone has arrived on the elevator. "Come in." Ozpin says as he turns to the elevator doors. Ruby steps out and into the room.**

"**Sorry it took so long. Someone accidentally hit all the buttons on the elevator on the way up here." Ruby said, pausing before quickly explaining herself. "It wasn't me."**

Qrow snorts and chuckles, looking at Tai with a grin. "That would totally be something you would do."

Tai rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Shut up." He mutters to his male teammate. The girls laugh and smile as well. The two Faunus just shake their heads and roll their eyes at the team's antics.

"**Thank you for coming, Ruby. How are you feeling?" Ozpin asks the young girl.**

"**Okay, I guess. I'd feel better if my bad-guy-catching record wasn't O-for-three." Ruby says with a small laugh. Everyone stares silently.**

"Not the time." Raven says, crossing her arms and sending a glare at Summer.

"I'm not that bad." Summer says back to Raven.

"Yes you are." Raven said flatly, ignoring her team leader to continue watching.

"**Okay, so that's the tone we're going for, got it." The cloaked girl mumbles.**

"Yep." Qrow said, popping the last letter.

"**Ruby, I feel it's appropriate to let you know that I think what you did last night is exactly what being a Huntress is all about. You recognized a threat. You took action. And you did the very best you could." Ironwood praised her.**

**Ruby smiled, "Thank you, sir."**

"**Now, the general here has already informed us of the events that... transpired last night, but now that you've rested, we were wondering if you had anything to add." Ozpin said to the silver eyed girl.**

"**Was anyone else with her? Did she look familiar to you at all?" Goodwitch asked her student.**

"**I... I don't know. She was wearing a mask, and she never said anything to me. But I know she fought with glass. I don't think that was her Semblance, though. Her clothing lit up whenever she attacked." Ruby told them.**

"That sounds like a Semblance though, doesn't it?" Summer asked her teammates and the two Faunus.

"Maybe, but remember the first fight we watched with Cinder? It seems like she uses magic, she might have a Semblance, but… we don't know what it could be. I'm saying that what she did in the CCT tower was magic, Sum." Qrow explained to his team leader.

"That makes sense, but that still doesn't explain what they want." Kali said, worried for their children.

"Obviously we won't find that out until later." Raven said to the other female.

"**Save for the glass, that sounds like the woman I fought the night we met Ruby." Glynda said.**

"**Embedding Dust into clothing is an age-old technique. It could have been anyone." Ironwood said.**

"True, but not many people readily use that as a style of fighting." Raven counters.

"**Wait. You think this girl is connected to Torchwick and the White Fang?" Ruby asks the general.**

"**It's possible. But we still lack the required evidence to link the two together." Oz told the team leader.**

"**Actually, I... I think I remember her saying something about a hideout, or something, in the southeast. Just outside the Kingdom." Ruby told them.**

All six adults raised their eyebrows at the same time. "That fool. Why would she tell them?" Raven said, shaking her head at Ruby's blunder.

"No, that's actually really smart." Ghira spoke up. Raven looks at him to elaborate. "She has plausible deniability like that, and she can also call for backup should she and her team needs it. From the looks of things, your headmaster will allow Team RWBY to go the southeast so that he can confirm his suspicions."

"That… well damn, never knew Ol' Oz could be a manipulative jerk when he wants to be." Qrow said, glancing between Summer and Tai. Both of Ruby's parents frowned at the screen.

"**Interesting." Ozpin hummed.**

**Glynda stepped forward. "I thought you said the intruder never—"**

"**Thank you for your cooperation, Ruby. Why don't you go and spend some time with your team? You have a big day ahead of you." Oz said, cutting off the blonde woman.**

"**Any time." Ruby said, smiling.**

"**And Miss Rose, please try and be ... discreet about this matter." Ozpin told her.**

"**Yes sir." The silver eyed girl nodded.**

* * *

**The door to Team RWBY's dorm room opens, revealing Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, and Weiss Schnee inside. The three zoom over to the person in the door, who is revealed to be Ruby.**

"**What happened?" Yang demanded.**

"**Uh... well, um..." Ruby laughed nervously.**

* * *

**The scene cuts back to Ozpin's office.**

"**Well there we have it. We send as many troops as we can to the southeast, find out exactly what's going on, and eradicate any forces that stand in our way." Ironwood said confidentaly.**

**Glynda growled in frustration at the man. "Why must your answer to everything involve a triumphant display of military bravado!? You treat every situation like it's a contest of measuring di—!"**

Qrow and Tai howled with laughter. Team STRQ had never heard their TA cuss before and this was hilarious to them. Summer was trying to stop her giggles from escaping and Raven was just smirking. Ghira sighed at seeing the Huntsmen teams' antics.

"Well, she's not wrong. Most military generals would want to go into that type of situation with a show of superior strength." Kali said, reminding them of where they were.

"**Glynda!" Oz exclaimed.**

"**Well, he does." She rolled her eyes.**

"**She's right. As much as I too would love to end this situation once and for all, we must remember that this may go beyond Vale. Beyond Beacon. And if this truly is part of some master plan for which we know not the final move, we mustn't be so bold. Nor can we risk the spread of panic." Oz tried to placate the general.**

"**I have served you faithfully for years... but if you mean to tell me that your plan is to really hold the defenses, and wait—!" Ironwood demanded but was cut off abruptly by the other headmaster.**

**Ozpin abruptly stands from his chair. "It is **_**not!**_** You're a general, James. So tell me, when you prepare to go to war, which do you send in first? The flag bearers or the scouts?"**

Team STRQ gulped. They've never seen Ozpin mad before, and they thought that when that day came, whoever it was that earned the headmaster's anger deserved it and would suffer.

"Not to self, never get Oz mad." Qrow whispered to himself.

* * *

**The scene cuts back to Team RWBY's dorm.**

"**That was a risky move." Weiss told her partner.**

"**No, I think you handled it well." Blake says, shaking her head.**

"**I hope so." Ruby agreed.**

"**I'm sure everything will be alright, Ruby. Oh, I know what will cheer you up!" Yang said to her sister. Yang produces a cylindrical package the length of her forearm.**

"**What's that?" The younger sister asks.**

"**I don't know yet. Dad sent it to us. I thought we could open it together!" Yang said, holding up the package.**

Team STRQ leaned forward; this was one of the few times that the girls had mentioned their parents. Tai and gripping Summer and Raven's hands. Qrow had his arm wrapped around his sister. Ghira and Kali were also holding hands, with Kali also wrapping her unoccupied arm around the white-cloaked woman for support or comfort.

"**Ooooh! Something from home!" Ruby exclaimed.**

**Ruby zooms over to Yang and wraps herself around Yang, trying to take the cylinder from her. The package opens, and another cylinder, hairy and black, falls out onto the floor and starts to shake. The object suddenly transforms into a corgi. Team RWBY leans in, staring at it.**

The six adults stare at the TV screen. Then they turn to Taiyang.

Tai, himself, doesn't know what to say. "What the hell? I sent a dog in the mail?"

**The animal barks twice. While Weiss and Blake continue to react with great shock, Ruby and Yang react excitedly, with Ruby jumping in the air. Ruby, still airborne, is depicted among a changing blue background and four shots of the dog, two full body shots and two headshots. She then poses as she shouts the dog's name.**

"**Zwei!"**

"**He sent a **_**dog?" **_**Blake asked in horror.**

"**In the mail?" Weiss asks, finishing Blake's sentence unintentionally.**

**Yang waved her teammates off. "Oh, he does stuff like this all the time!"**

The others in the room turn to stare at Tai once again. "What the hell, Tai? What have you been doing with the girls?" Summer exclaims to her future husband.

"I don't know! This is the future, we have no idea what happened to you or Rae yet! I'm pretty sure I tried to raise the girls as best as I could!" Tao defends himself.

"You shut down after Summer died! Or have you forgotten Yang's story? Yang had to be Ruby's _mother_!" Qrow hissed at the blonde man.

"Well where the hell were you?!" Tai shouted.

"Enough!" Ghira shouted, both males looked to the angry Faunus. "Both of you enough! Whatever the reason for Summer's death and Raven's disappearance…. We will find out, so please, calm down and shut up!"

"We won't let whatever happened, happen again. We will stop it, or at least make sure our kids have help." Summer said, glaring at Qrow and Tai.

**Blake disappears, shown now to be on Ruby's bunk. "Your father or your dog?" Blake asks the sisters.**

"**Are you telling me that this mangy... drooling... **_**mutt**_** is going to wiv wif us **_**foweva?**_** Oh, yes he **_**is**_**, yes he **_**is!**_** Oh, isn't he adorable!" Weiss says in a baby voice.**

"That's disturbing." Qrow said. Raven nodded and shivered. Neither of the twins would ever have thought that the Schnee girl would gush over a dog. First time for everything, they guessed.

"**Please keep it away from my belongings." Blake told her teammates.**

"**Would all first-year students please report to the amphitheater?" Goodwitch said over the intercom.**

"**Well, we can't exactly leave him here while we're gone for the week." Weiss points out to the sisters.**

**Ruby sets Zwei down and he walks over to Blake still on the top bunk, and barks.**

The Faunus crack smiles as they watch Blake's interactions with the dog.

"**Look, there's a letter!" Yang pulls out the letter from the package wrapping. "Dear girls, I've got to leave the island for a few days, so I'm sending Zwei to you to take care of. Enclosed is all the food you should need. Love you both, Taiyang." Dozens of cans of dog food spill out of the small ****package, piling up around Zwei.**

"Again… what the hell?" Raven eyed the father of her daughter with a shake of her head.

"**What is he supposed to do with that?" The heiress asks. A can opener falls from the package, bouncing off Zwei's head.**

"I don't even want to know." Raven muttered, but a smile twitches on her lips.

"**Well, that settles it! Come on girls, Zwei will be here when we get back!" Yang says.**

"**Oh, I'll miss you so much, we're going to be best friends, I can't wait to see you." Weiss says as they leave the room. Meanwhile, Blake jumps down from Ruby's bunk and jumps across the table, avoiding Zwei. Ruby stares at Zwei for a moment, before smiling sneakily.**

"She's going to try and bring him on their mission. I'm calling it!" Summer says with a sneaky smile of her own.

"Never bet against Summer!" The twins cry out at the same time before the two Faunus could so much as get a word out.

"We'll… take your word for it." Ghira said with a good-natured chuckle.

* * *

**Ruby is wearing a large backpack as she enters the auditorium with other students. She then puts it down next to other students' luggage before rejoining her team, who are standing in front of Team JNPR.**

"**Quiet! Quiet please. Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin." Glynda demanded of all of the students.**

"Will he be doing the same speech?" Tai asks but no one answered him.

"**Today we stand together, united. Mistral. Atlas. Vacuo. Vale. The four Kingdoms of Remnant. On this day, nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression. And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither were the generations to come. And it was a trend that is held to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it. As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the Kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best." Ozpin steps away as the students all begin to file out of the amphitheater.**

They were all silent, bowing their heads in respect for the fallen.

"**This is perfect! All we have to do is shadow a Huntsman working in the southeast!" Ruby said, pumping her fists in the air in excitement.**

"**Yeah! We'll follow them around by day and give them the slip by night!" Yang said.**

"I don't think that would work on a fully-trained Huntsman thought." Kali said.

"**Let's check 'search and destroy'!" Weiss suggested. Team RWBY approaches a hologram screen.**

"**Here we go! Quadrant 5 needs Grimm cleared out!" Ruby pointed out.**

"**Well, it's in the southeast!" Blake said.**

"**Sounds perfect!" Yang grinned.**

"Only you Rae. That is most definitely your grin." Qrow said, smiling at his sister. Raven just sighed but smiled a little.

**Ruby selects it and types in her team name. However, the screen says that first years are not allowed to take this mission.**

"**Wonderful!" Weiss said sarcastically.**

"**Any other ideas?" Blake looks between her teammates.**

"**We **_**mail**_** ourselves there!" Ruby suggested.**

"You would come up with something stupid like that, wouldn't you." Raven deadpanned to her leader, who was bright red.

"Uh… No?" Summer said, but all three members of the Beacon team knew it was true.

"**Well, that's one option." Ozpin suddenly appears. "Unfortunately, we determined that the concentration of Grimm was too extreme for first-year students. It seems that **_**particular**_** region is rather popular. In fact, I have the sneaking suspicion that you four will make your way there no matter which job you choose."**

"So he is letting them go for his own curiously and suspicions." Ghira called out again, glancing at Kali who just gripped his hand.

**Weiss, Blake, and Yang glare at Ruby, who nervously rubs her head. "Whatever makes you say that?" Ruby questions.**

"Only you." Raven glares at her leader, who is also rubbing her head in the same manner as Ruby.

'_Like mother, like daughter.'_ Kali thinks and smiles. She and Ghira will help Team STRQ, just as she knows they will help them with the White Fang.

"**I'm still curious how you all found yourself at the docks last semester. I'm interested to know how you really learned about a hideout in the southeast. And I certainly wonder why witnesses reported seeing robots and rose petals in a dance club some time ago." Ozpin asks, smiling just a ****little.**

**Ruby didn't know how to answer. "Um... well..."**

**Ozpin sighs. "I doubt I'll ever find the exact answers I'm looking for. So how about this: instead of waiting for you all to break the rules, why don't we just **_**bend**_** them?" Ozpin selects some things on his scroll, and the hologram screen makes a noise.**

**Ruby smiles at the headmaster. "We won't let you down. Thank you, professor."**

"**Do not thank me for this. Teamwork and persistence have carried you far. But you must understand, the things that await you beyond the protection of the Kingdom will not care. Stay close to your Huntsman at all times, and do exactly as he says. He will be leading you on this mission, and he can have you sent back to Beacon, if he finds your skills to be unsatisfactory. Good luck."**

"Yeah, we are so training the girls in self-preservation when the time comes." Summer said to her teammates.

"Uh… Sum, have you met us? None of us has any self-preservation instincts." Qrow pointed out.

"Qrow, I swear, if you think I won't kick your ass to Anima and back so that you get it through your head, _not to head weapons blazing into a fucking fight_, same with the rest of you, you've got another thing coming." Summer growled as her eyes pierced every member of her team. They all shuddered, knowing that when they got back to Beacon, Summer would work them to the bone.

"Got it." Her three teammates called out.

* * *

**Team RWBY have left the auditorium and are on their way to the airship that will take them to Quadrant 5.**

"**That wasn't exactly uplifting." Yang grumbled.**

"**But it's the truth." Blake said, shrugging.**

"**It's gonna to be tough, but I know we can do it!" Ruby grinned to her team.**

**A student runs past the team. "Hey! Team CFVY is back!"**

"Weren't they the team that was supposed to be in charge of the dance?" Tai asked.

"I think so. I wonder what mission they had that took so long to complete." Kali asks, looking to the team.

"Probably a Search and Destroy that went bad." Raven suggested.

"Way to kill the mood." Tai complained.

"What? It's true. Why else would their mission take longer? You know I'm right." Raven huffed.

**Beacon students gather around to witness the return of Team CFVY. Blake goes up to Velvet Scarlatina. "Velvet? Are you okay?" Blake asked her fellow Faunus.**

"**I'm fine. I had Yatsuhashi to look out for me." Velvet said, trying to smile to the other girl.**

"**Your mission was supposed to end a **_**week**_** ago! What happened?" Weiss wonders, worried about their own mission.**

"**Nothing happened. It was just ... there were just so many..." She looks up and notices Team RWBY's worried expressions. "Oh, but don't worry. You first-years are just shadowing Huntsmen, so you should be fine.**

"I hate it when you're right." Tai mutters to the black haired female.

"Are you sure your Semblance is creating portals and not a form of future-sight?" Summer asks, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, Summer. I've been making up my semblance, I can actually see into the future." Raven deadpanned.

Her team and the two Faunus gave her expressions of disbelief. "I'm joking. Of course my semblance is portals." Raven said.

"**Right." Yang said flatly.**

"**I should go. Be safe, okay?" The rabbit Faunus said, catching up to her teammate.**

"**We can do this. We've never backed down before, and we're not going to start now." Ruby proclaimed.**

**Blake nodded. "Right."**

"**Besides, it won't only be us out there! We'll be fighting alongside a genuine Huntsman!" Ruby said, excited to know who they were shadowing for this mission.**

"**Yeah!"**

**The scene immediately cuts to Team RWBY staring with various stunned expressions, having just discovered who they will be shadowing.**

"**Why, hello girls! Who's ready to fight for their lives?" Oobleck asks them in rapid-fire speech he was known for.**


End file.
